BHOPAL : More than 3,000 Hepatitis patients in Bhopal are unaware that they are suffering from Hepatitis. This was revealed after their blood samples were screened by the Hamidia Blood Bank. But by then, they had left the Bank after donating blood.

The Hamidia blood bank has generated a list of 10,000 Hepatitis positive patients over the past five years, informed Dr R.K.Jain, Professor Gastroenterology in a press conference organised at Hamidia Hospital.

The Research and Scientific society of GMC has organised a free camp to bring awareness among people about the disease on World Hepatitis Day. The check up will be conducted with Fibroscan. Since there are no symptoms of Hepatitis, it is left undetected among patients until the virus completely damages the liver.

“The health risks of hepatitis B and C have been considered to be the most dangerous. The virus directly attacks the liver and damages the tissues and even causes liver cancer. What makes Hepatitis C more dangerous is the fact that there is no vaccine for it. Hepatitis B has vaccine, which reduces its risk”, said Dr Jain. In Bhopal, only 57 per cent children get Hepatitis B vaccines and many are unaware about the medicine which is capable of treating Hepatitis C.

What makes you vulnerable to Hepatitis?

w         Repeated use of needle           either for injecting                   drugs or during                                   treatment

w         Use of unhygienic                   surgical instruments

w         Unprotected sex

w         Transfusion of                                     infected blood

w         Pregnant mother with                         hepatitis may transfer             it to unborn child.