Severe hepatitis-c leads to liver failure: Dr.Nadeem Anwar

HYDERABAD, Feb 16 (APP):Eminent physician & cardiologist of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Jamshoro, Dr. Nadeem Anwar Khan said it was expected that three million patients in Pakistan were suffering from severe progressive hepatitis-C, which leads to liver failure.
He said that there was also an alarmingly high incidence of liver cancer in Pakistan and it was expected to be the most common cancer in the country.
Talking to APP here on Friday, he said that awareness to masses about precautionary measures against disease could reduce the numbers of hepatitis patients in the country in general and in Sindh particularly where the disease is spreading with rapid pace mainly in rural parts.
He said controlling of diseases is essential therefore maximum awareness should be created among the people against these diseases. He urged the people to follow principle of “prevention is better than cure” for protecting themselves from diseases.
He said that government is spending billions of rupees on the treatment of hepatitis patients despite its limited resources. However, creating awareness among the masses can help eradicate the increasing number of patients for which media particularly electronic media can play an important role in this regard,
added.
Dr. Nadeem Anwar Khan expressed grave concern over quack doctors, who he said that involved in causing Hepatitis with
wrong diagnosis and prescription and termed it punishable offence on charge of playing with the live of the people.
He said that it because of wrong treatment that number of the cases of Hepatitis-D has been increased in the province. During the survey, the number of maximum cases of Hepatitis-B has been found in upper Sindh while the rate of Hepatitis-C is high in lower Sindh, he disclosed that there are five main types of viral hepatitis
A, B, C, D and E. Symptoms of the liver problem can include jaundice, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever, he said.
Hepatitis E is common in Pakistan, China and other parts of the world.
Dr.Nadeem Anwar Khan said that hepatitis B and C are life-threatening but curable the citizens are required to be informed about the diseases in the country.
He added that hepatitis largely remains unknown as a health threat in much of the world. It is more prevalent particularly in the third world including Pakistan that makes it more alarming. A stringent method should be adopted to address the ‘silent killer’ of viral hepatitis, he said.
Viral hepatitis is also the leading cause of liver cancer. Liver cancer is the second biggest cancer killer and symptoms of viral hepatitis often go unnoticed. Therefore anyone who might think they may have been exposed should get tested, Dr. Nadeem Anwar Khan said.
Dr.Nadeem said that in the past, medical science was aware about only two types of this ailment, Hepatitis A and B. Now more
dangerous types of this disease D, E and G have been recovered. Hepatitis B, C and D are more dangerous but they cannot harm without their combination with Hepatitis B.
He said that there was a need to educate media men, religious scholars, elected representatives and health workers about these problems.
Dr. Nadeem Anwar Khan underlined the need of launching mass awareness campaign at large scale so that the people could be aware of reason, which causing different kinds of hepatitis disease.