Prevalence of Hep cases worries health minister
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 16 2022: National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP), National Health Mission and Director of Health Services jointly organised World Hepatitis Day on the theme Bringing care closer to you: Hepatitis can't wait' at JNIMS auditorium on Tuesday.

Speaking as chief guest of the event, health minister Dr Sapam Rajan expressed fear over inability to detect 70 per cent of Hepatitis cases and further urged for creating awareness among the people about the disease using different forms of technology.

HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis were initially urban-centric, but today most of the villages have also been affected, he informed and said that sharing syringe is one of the most common factors for spreading Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

In-spite of concerted awareness programmes conducted against sharing syringe among the injecting drug users, drug users as young as 15-25 years are still sharing syringes, he said, while urging to rectify the wrongs in the society and enhance the 'war on drugs' campaign launched under the guidance of CM N Biren.

Recounting that Manipur faced a mammoth drug issue in 1980s, he cautioned of repeating the same if it fails to control drug menace in time.

The drug issue should be fought with a firm commitment to save the state, he stressed while informing that several illnesses are spreading because of drug abuse.

The observance presided over by Health Services director Dr Khoirom Sasheekumar Mangang was also attended by Manipur State AIDS Control Society project director Haobam Roshita Devi and JNIMS director Dr L Deben as guests of honour and Dr Kh Lokeshwar spoke as resource person.

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