Viral Hepatitis-C task force formed
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 28 2016: Considering the need to control Hepatitis-C in the State, a task force on Hepatitis-C under the name "Viral Hepatitis-C Task Force, Government of Manipur" has been formed today.

A decision to this effect was arrived at during the day-long training programme cum consultation on "Use of DAAs (direct acting anti-virals) for treatment of Hepatitis C".

The programme was held under the joint aegis of Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE); Directorate of Health Services, Government of Manipur and Babina Diagnostics at the conference hall of Babina Diagnostics, Porompat on Sunday.

Speaking as chief guest during the inaugural function of the training programme, Director of Health Services Dr Okram Ibomcha who is also the State Health Mission Director, said that the initiative taken up by CoNE in organizing such a programme is an important event in the history of tackling hepatitis-C which has become a serious issue in the State.

Viral Hepatitis-C task force formed

"Among various types of Hepatitis, Hep-C has become the most problematic and is slowly turning to be an increasing burden in Manipur which needs to be addressed immediately", he remarked.

While pointing out the need to initiate a task force on Hepatitis-C, the Health Director also made it clear that political will and Government support are needed to tackle the issue.

"All possible help will be extended from the side of the Government in this regard", he assured.

He also said that the training programme, which is the need of the hour, will provide all the required information and knowledge to the doctors on treatment of Hepatitis-C.The Director also assured that he would take up all necessary measures to include DAA drugs in the approved drug list under Manipur State Illness Assistance Fund (MSIAF) within a week's time, if the drug is not included till today.

Delivering the presidential speech, chairman and managing director of Babina Diagnostics Dr Th Dhaballi informed that there is high prevalence of Hep-C in the State with approximately 1.5 per cent prevalence rate among the general population and an alarming 80-90 per cent among the injecting drug users (IDUs).

Hep-C is more infectious than HIV and AIDS.

"This is a huge challenge in the health care scenario of the State." He further stated that many of the people, both the general public and the medical practitioners, do not have the required knowledge and information on Hep-C and its treatment processes.

"Medical information, with the passage of time, keeps on changing, and we in the medical fraternity have to keep in pace with the changing scenario.

As such, there is the need for a continuing medical education of the medical practitioners", he said while adding that Hep-C is now treatable and it is indeed a good news for all.

Dr N Surajkumar Singh, consultant Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist, JNIMS, who was present as guest of honour on the occasion also pointed out the need to form a task force on Hep-C in the State.

The afternoon session which was basically a training cum interaction session was attended by 22 doctors from different Community Health Centres (CHCs), Public Health Centres (PHCs) and district hospitals located across the state.

CoNE president RK Nalinikanta while giving the key-note address of the function, said that the main objective of the training programme is to build a set of physicians who are willing and skilled in the treatment of Hep-C using the second generation DAAs in the State and ensure easy access to medical care and treatment of Hep-C.During the training session, Dr N Surajkumar Singh spoke on the topic "Disease burden of HCV in Manipur and its management" while Dr H Diamond, SMO, DTC, Imphal East presented a paper on the topic "Treatment of HIV/HCV co-infection" .