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Press Release

Hepatitis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes this and has declared 28th July as the World Hepatitis Day. Pakistan Society for Study of Liver Diseases (PSSLD) has been holding seminars and public awareness programs to make the general population aware of the problem for the past 9 years now. A seminar was held in a local Hotel in collaboration with the Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP).

Speaking on the occasion, President PSSLD Prof Brig Masood Siddiq introduced to the audience the importance of the day and the significance the WHO places on the planning to eliminate hepatitis from the world. He also talked about the efforts PSSLD had put in to meet the goals set by WHO in Pakistan. He stressed that wide-ranging efforts were urgently needed to prevent millions of new infections and increasing deaths because of it. Specifically he mentioned the wide ranging use of often unjudicious injections and drips, which are amongt eh major reasons for spread of the disease in Pakistan. On the average a Pakistani gets 13 injections per year, which is the highest on the world.

Brig Farrukh Saeed then talked about the incidence of hepatitis in Pakistan and informed the audience that the disease burden in Pakistan was only second to Egypt in the world and that there were about 15 million people suffering from Hepatitis B and C in Pakistan and the prevalence of hepatitis C in the country was around 5 per cent and that of hepatitis B was nearly 2.5 percent of the general population. The usual mode of transmission of hepatitis B and C in Pakistanis is high rate of getting treatment by injections and intravenous therapy procedures, although shaving by unsterilized instruments by barbers and piercings of nose and ears and tattooing also contribute to the problem.

Prof Asghar Aurangzeb Durrani next got on the podium and deliberated on the common features of hepatitis and how it presents; stressing the fact that many an infection may be so mild that it may go unnoticed at all. The most common features of acute hepatitis are nausea, vomiting, pain in abdomen and yellow eye discolouration, with a high coloured urine and loss of appetite.

Dr Junaid Saleem next spoke about the complications of hepatitis. Hepatitis A and E are spread by oral facial route while B, C and delta (D) are spread by blood. The public was informed that the disease may be so mild that it may progress to end stage without the patient ever feeling sick, and then it may suddenly present with life threatening complications for the first time in life. It may cause disease elsewhere too like in kidneys, blood, lungs and brain.

Dr Mohammad Salih talked about the tests needed to diagnose and treat the illness, and when and how should they be ordered by the family physicians. He talked about the relative importance of the tests and their significance.

Prof Muzaffar Latif Gill then ascended the podium and gave an overview of the latest treatment options available in the country, simplifying the treatment options for the family physicians, and laid down an algorithm following which correct drugs can be chosen for the patients. Unfortunately the type of hepatitis present in Pakistan is difficult to treat and can relapse often if not treated with care and diligence.

Prof Brig Amjad Salamat was also present as an expert panelist during the talks. In the end the meeting was summed up by Prof Maj Gen Tassawar Hussian,.stressing upon the doctor community to judiciously use injections and intravenous infusions.

Dr Manzoor Ahmed, President PAFP along with all the office bearers of PAFP then lead a short walk outside the hotel for promoting health.