Over 1,500 patients test negative for hepatitis C in Barnala

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Barnala, June 24

The free treatment scheme of the Punjab Government has come as a major help to the families of 1,519 patients of Hepatitis C as they have been successfully treated and tested negative three and a half months after undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital, Barnala.

The Mukh Mantri Punjab Hepatitis C Relief Fund (MMPHCRF) programmme was started in the state on June 18, 2016. As per the records of the Health Department, as many as 1,329 patients were registered till March 31, 2017, since the commencement of the programme while 706 patients were enrolled for free treatment during the year 2017-18.

Till June 20, 2018, 2,410 cases were registered for free treatment under the MMPHCRF scheme of which, 1,519 tested negative for Hepatitis C after a sustained virologic response (SVR) test.

“The test includes HCV viral load which costs around Rs 2,200 and HCV genotype which costs Rs 3,000. We have been conducting these tests free ” said Vipin Singla, district manager, Hepatitis C programme, Barnala.

Civil Surgeon, Barnala, Dr Jugal Kishore said three months after the completion of the treatment, the Health Department conducts an SVR test to make sure the patient had successfully been treated for Hepatitis C. The department also issues a certificate to the patient after the SVR test result proves to be negative but added that the disease was communicable.

“It is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) which can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis infection, ranging in severity, from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness,” said Dr Jugal Kishore.

About the symptoms of Hepatitis C, he said in most cases, the patient suffers from fever, fatigue, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, grey-coloured faeces, joint pain and jaundice which also includes yellowing of skin and the whites of the eye.

“The disease transmits through various ways which also includes reuse or inadequate sterilisation of medical equipment, especially syringes and needles. Sharing syringes while injecting drugs and transfusion of blood that has not been screened are also a major reason for the communication of Hepatitis C. It can also be transmitted sexually and can be passed from an infected mother to her baby, but these modes of transmission are not common,” he said.

The Civil Surgeon also clarified that Hepatitis C does not spread through breast milk, food or water or by hugging, kissing and sharing food or drinks with an infected person.