Hepatitis Awareness Week launched
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 18 2020: The Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) in association with Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) launched "Hepatitis Awareness Week" at RIMS, Imphal today.

The programme will continue till January 24 .

As part of the programme, a series of activities have been lined up at different institutes wherein awareness sessions, Hepatitis B & C screening & vaccination drive and interactive quizzes will take place, said Advocacy Coordinator, Project EMPATHY.

The program started with the formal lamp-lighting ceremony and welcome address by Director, RIMS Prof A Santa Singh.

MP Dr R K Ranjan and MP Dr Lorho S Pfoze, who graced the inaugural ceremony, stressed on the issue of public health concern in NE region and appreciated the efforts of ILBS and AAI.

Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare V Vumlunmang and Regional Executive Director, AAI Sanjeev Jindal also attended.

Sanjeev Jindal opined the need to set up a specialised liver healthcare centre of excellence in line with ILBS, in Imphal.

Director JNIMS Prof Th Bhimo and Director Health & Family Welfare Dr K Rajo, Medical Superintendent, RIMS Prof Ch Arunkumar and Asst Professor Epidemiology, ILBS, New Delhi Dr Neeraj Raizada also addressed the gathering.

Dr Neeraj Raizada, explained the importance of screening of Hepatitis B & C. He said, "Hepatitis is a silent epidemic and according to Global Hepatitis Report 2017, only 10% of the people who are infected, know their status.

Symptoms mostly present after extensive liver damage has already happened.

Hence it is very important that we get tested when we are asymptomatic before any liver damage has happened and also get vaccinated for Hepatitis B".

The dignitaries extended their support by sharing a pledge for the cause.

Later, the ILBS team held a free screening cum vaccination camp at RIMS, Imphal where in all guests, healthcare professionals, staff of RIMS was offered vaccination for Hepatitis B and screening for Hepatitis B & C, on voluntary basis.

More than 400 individuals were screened and vaccinated by ILBS team at RIMS, Imphal soon after the awareness talk and the pledge ceremony.

An interactive quiz on Hep B & C was conducted at RIMS for the healthcare professionals in which upon participation, the winners were given with attractive prizes and felicitated.

The awareness programme was undertaken as a part of "Empowering people against Hepatitis: The Empathy Campaign' project conceptualized by Padma Bhushan recipient Dr Shiv Kumar Sarin, Director, ILBS and supported by AAI under its CSR, being implemented by ILBS.

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