To mark the World Hepatitis Day on Monday, a case based symposium and Public Lecture on Viral Hepatitis was jointly organised by the department of Microbiology and General Medicine, AIIMS Bhopal. In the beginning, Prof Debasis Biswas, Professor and Head, Dept. of Microbiology introduced the purpose and importance of the programme and welcomed Prof Sarman Singh, Director, AIIMS, Bhopal.
Dr Shashank Purwar, Additional Professor, Microbiology presented a bouquet to him. On this occasion, a Case Base Symposium was organised where Abhishek Singhai, Asst. Professor, Department of General Medicine, Dr Shashwati Nema, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Dr Piyush Manoria, DM (Gastroenterology) & Consultant in BMHRC, Dr Nivesh Seehra, DM (Gastroenterology) & Consultant in Siddhanta Red Cross Hospital, Bhopal spoke about approach to an incidentally detected HBsAg +ve case, needle stick injury and management of viral hepatitis in special situations like pregnancy, children, coinfection of HBV/HIV/HCV etc.
In the presence of audience which included students of nearby schools and colleges, Prof Sarman Singh, Director, AIIMS Bhopal delivered his first public lecture and informed that an estimated 257 million people are living with Hepatitis ‘B’ infection. He further informed that in 2016 and 1.1 million people developed chronic Hepatitis ‘B’ infection which is a primary cause of Liver Cancer. He also mentioned that 1.75 million people newly developed chronic Hepatitis ‘C’ infection reported in 2017.
He explained the areas with high levels of infection highlighting that the low and middle income countries with poor sanitary conditions and hygienic practices, infection is common and most children (90%) have been infected with Hepatitis ‘A’ viral before the age of 10 years. Older children and adults are generally immune from infection in these areas. Quoting a reference from WHO Report, he informed that investing US$6 billion per year in eliminating hepatitis in 67 low and middle income countries would avert 4.5 million premature deaths by 2030 and more than 26 million deaths beyond that target date.
This would mean reducing new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65%. Today, 80% people living with hepatitis cannot get the services they need to prevent test for and treat the disease. He emphasized vaccination of children against Hepatitis ‘A’ and vaccination of all Health care workers against Hepatitis ‘B’, besides universal precautions.
The function was attended by Prof Manisha Shrivastava, Medical Superintendent, Santosh Sohgaura, Deputy Director (Administration), Prof Debasis, Associate Dean (Research), Gaurav Dwivedi, Senior Admin. Officer, Vishal K Gupta, Administrative Officer, Faculty Members, Resident Doctors, Paramedical staff and Students of the Institute.