WHO on Friday announced Amitabh Bachchan as its Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis for the South-East Asia Region.
Generic drugs manufactured by Indian companies have significantly reduced the cost of Hepatitis treatment in the country, said the WHO. "This has helped strengthen India's fight against Hepatitis as the cost of treatment has come down from $85,000 to less than $120 here," said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO, South-East Asia Region.
WHO on Friday announced Amitabh Bachchan as its Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis for the South-East Asia Region.
An estimated 3.5 crore people in India are infected with Hepatitis B and close to 60 lakh have Hepatitis C virus. "Only 10 per cent of those infected are aware of their positive status and hence we believe that the number of patients could be much higher," Dr Singh said.
"I lived with Hepatitis for years without being detected and by the time I was diagnosed, 75 per cent of my liver was already damaged," said Bachchan. Hepatitis leads to liver inflammation. While A and E type of virus are caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water, B, C and D occur due to contact with infected body fluids.
Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative to India said that some state governments like Punjab were doing extremely well when it comes to screening the patients. "They have already treated 27,000 patients and are screening several of them," Bekedam said. Rates of Hepatitis B and C tend to be high among drug users sharing infected needles.
Across the world, close to 32 crore people suffer from Hepatitis and 13 lakh die annually. WHO has said that it will work towards breaking myths related to vaccination. "Though WHO can provide technical support, if state governments like Maharashtra, for instance, gets involved, then a many can be screened," Dr Singh added.
Analysis
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver
The condition can be self-limiting or can progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis or liver cancer
Hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the world but other infections, autoimmune diseases can also cause Hepatitis
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