kolkata: In a bid to reduce the risk of Hepatitis A and E, morbidity and mortality, the state government has strengthened further the integration of the viral hepatitis control programme. Screening of antenatal mothers has been given utmost importance.
The state Health department has issued an order charting out the aims of National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) which includes ~ significant reduction in the infected population, morbidity and mortality associated with Hepatitis B and C. The department has directed that Hepatitis B screening must be conducted among antenatal mothers in all the urban primary health centres. All hepatitis B ser-reactive mothers should be linked to viral hepatitis treatment centres, said the order. The state Health department also issued guidelines to all the private hospitals giving necessary instructions in order to eliminate Hepatitis B and C from Bengal by 2030. It is estimated that globally 354 million people are living with Hepatitis B and C. Burden of hepatitis is nearly 9 times the burden of HIV infection.
Screening for Hepatitis B at all levels is done for pregnant women as an integral part of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission and all Hepatitis-B seroreactive pregnant women are linked to designated centres for delivery. The programme taken up by the Bengal government to eradicate hepatitis has become a model for the country, said a senior health official.
According to the new guidelines in the state, currently 36 Viral Hepatitis Treatment Centres (VIH TCs) are being operated covering all the districts at the levels of a medical college and also in the district hospitals and Sub-divisional Hospitals, along with 3 state-of-art state referral laboratories for molecular diagnostics. Vulnerable subpopulations are covered in the outreach mode.