Hepatitis C campaign launched
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 10 2014: The Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE), Directorate of Health Services, Govt.of Manipur and Zydus Heptiza have jointly launched on Thursday the advocacy campaign for Hepatitis C Virus at Manipur Press Club, Imphal.

The secretary of the Legislative Forum on HIV/AIDS Govt.of Manipur MLA Dr I Ibohalbi Singh, the Joint Director of the Directorate of Health Services Govt.of Manipur Kh Sashikumar Mangang and Project Director of Manipur State AIDS Control Society Sailesh Kumar Chourasia attended the function as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

During the launching of advocacy campaign for Hepatitis C Virus, the dignitaries of the function have freed balloons tied with posters which printed as World Hepatitis Day, Hepatitis Think Again and also other Information, Education and Communication materials etc.

It may be mentioned that the launching of advocacy campaign for Hepatitis was organised in connection with observance of World Hepatitis Day to be held on July 28 .

Expressing the key note address of the function, the CoNE President RK Nolinikanta stated that Hepatitis C Virus has now become a major health problem in Manipur and added the Hep C advocacy campaign will last for one year.

He further continued that awareness and advocacy programme will be organised among the Injecting Drug Users (IDU) and also general populace and also indentified the IDUs who suffered with Hap C Virus.

Prior to July 28 function, campaigns will be organised at various higher secondary schools of the State and telecast radio talk on the World Hepatitis Day, he added.

Nolinikanta further said that the campaign will be further continued post July 28 at all the districts of the State so that Department of Health Services could collect Hep C related data.

According to Indian Council of Medical Research data, the 98 % of the IDUs of Churchandpur district are Hep C positive.

Likewise, the percentage of Hep C positive among the IDUs of Imphal West and Bishnupur district is 92% and 54 % respectively.

However, there is no a complete data for whole Manipur and this data could be generated during this year.

Addressing the function as chief guest, Dr I Ibohalbi Singh that Manipur needs a policy to contain the problem of Hep C Virus and MACS project director maintained that Hep C Virus has now become a global issue.

Dr Kh Sashikumar divulged that Health Directorate has set up a committee to deal with Hep C Virus and its related issues.

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