Hepatitis C sub-type, which exists in Pakistan, is 90 percent curable if appropriate treatment at proper time is ensured. Renowned Consultant Hepatologist, Professor Dr Muzzaffar Lateef Gill said that treatment of hepatitis B and C in the last decade has been revolutionised and high level researches have also been conducted in Pakistan.
He said it is an easily controllable disease, but mild lapse in precautions can lead to very disastrous consequences. He said in Pakistan there are two types of viral hepatitis, one is short lived and self-limited, it is because of hepatitis A and E, which spread through feco-oral-route.
He said summer season epidemic of this type of acute hepatitis are very common throughout the developing world because of poor hygienic standards. Dr Gill said Hepatitis C and B is a blood borne disease and usually chronic and has long term consequences.
He said that 500 million people in the world population have exposure to hepatitis, Pakistan is no exception, he added. According to him, every 12th individual in Pakistani population is suffering form hepatitis B and C.
He suggested that there is need to adopt two-prong approach, one is to prevent the spread of the disease and the second approach is to have foolproof treatment for everybody, who is suffering from hepatitis B and C. He said for prevention purposes, there should be universal vaccination for hepatitis B, which is almost in progress everywhere in the country.
He said the most important aspect of prevention is screening of blood products, sterilised equipment, and better hygienic standards in barbershops. World-wide weekly injection along with ribavirin is the gold standard treatment and duration is 16-24 weeks.
Regarding Hepatitis B treatment Pegylated interferon injection or tablet Entacavir is the current available gold standard.
Dr Lateef Gill said national hepatitis C programme is running progressively however it needs certain refinements, as availability of quality drugs is an issue. He said there are some special categories of patients, who instead of getting three injections per week, which is second choice, should be given once weekly injection.
He said if first time treatment is not done rightly it becomes very difficult to treat them subsequently. He said the consequences of treatment failure are huge as the patient develops advanced stage disease like cirrhosis then patient starts bleeding and belly swells up when the only option remains liver transplant.
According to him, country's health budget is insufficient to take care of these end stage liver disease patients and there are no existing transplant facilities in the country. He said both private and public partnerships in true spirits and sincerity are needed to get rid of this disease and making country hepatitis free in future.
He said World Hepatitis Day will be observed all over the world on May 19 including Pakistan to create awareness about disease, its spread, prevention and treatment.