Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will be conducting screening camps for Hepatitis B & C of High Risk Groups (HRGs) in municipal corporation areas of Cuttack, Ganjam, Khordha, Sambalpur and Sundargarh under “Healthy Liver Campaign”.
Secretary Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) Shalini Pandit on Wednesday wrote a letter to all Municipal Commissioners and Chief District Medical & Public Health Officers (CDM&PHOs) of Cuttack, Ganjam, Khordha, Sambalpur and Sundargarh to extend necessary cooperation for conduct of such screening.
The screening will be conducted in the month of February and the tentative period of the campaign will be from February 27 to March 4.
“…necessary cooperation may be extended to conduct such screening of HRGs, outsourcing staffs employed for sanitation, rehabilitation centres rendering services to IDUs, Truckers, construction site workers, migrants & other strategic populations during the month of Feb, 2023. The tentative period of the campaign will be from 27th Feb 2023 to 4th March 2023,” the letter said.
According to the letter, sero- prevalence of Hepatitis B is 0.98% and Hepatitis C 0.34% in the community and the incidence of both HBV & HCV is much higher among High Risk Groups such as MSM, FSW, TG, IDUs, Truckers, Migrants etc. who are more in numbers in the Municipal Corporation areas.
This infection can lead to Cirrhosis of Liver and Hepato Cellular Carcinoma, the letter warned.
“Therefore, to prevent transmission & protect the HRGs there is an urgent need to screen them and provide necessary treatment to the beneficiary under “Healthy Liver Campaign”. A team of trained professionals such as Microbiologist, Epidemiologist, LTs, trained Medicine Specialist / Sr. MOs will be conducting the camps and provide free diagnosis and treatment under NVHCP (National Viral Hepatitis Control Program),” the letter pointed out.
The letter stated that screening and provision of necessary treatment will further help and support in early case detection and timely treatment to prevent further transmission in the community.
The logistics to be utilized for this purpose is available with the districts, the letter added.
