25/03/2017
Give your few minutes to read these line:
A Silent Killer in GB (Hepatitis)
Hepatitis is a major global health issue .Pakistan is among those countries which have one of the highest ratios of hepatitis B and C. About 20 million people affected with HAB and HAC virus in Pakistan. Hepatitis is basically a Liver disease caused by a virus and may also by some other toxins, which caused liver infection leads to cirrhosis and Liver Cancer. There are different types of Hepatitis, of which Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are most dangerous.
The prevalence of Hepatitis is dramatically increasing in Baltistan Division and within few years the mortality ratio is also increased. Every year thousands of patients are referred to town cities mostly to Rawalpindi and Islamabad by the local physicians as there are no proper facilities to cure this disease. Mostly of these patients I found were in chronic stages. In the year 2016 hundreds of patient, including from my family and friend lost their life due to this dangerous virus. Legend of GB little Karim is also victim of this virus admitted in CMH Rawalpindi. There are several personally and publically negligence behind this noxious condition.
By knowing facts, having proper awareness and attitude this menace of this disease can be prevented.
Mostly Hepatitis is spread from mother to child. Vaccines are available for Hepatitis at every public health sector. The mothers who not been vaccinated in adulthood have risk of Hepatitis in their child. Hepatitis B vaccine during pregnancy is necessary in those mothers. WHO recommend that all infants should receive hepatitis vaccination as soon as possible after birth.
Transmission of virus may occur through the reuse and unsterilized syringes either in health care centers or person who inject drug itself. However the reuse of syringes is very limited now but I am not sure about the availability of proper checking system for sterility of surgical instruments and syringes used in public and private hospitals. Is there any procedure to check the quality of needles, syringes and other equipment either they are manufactured according to ISO standards on government level.
In addition the infections can occur during medical, surgical and dental procedure. Unfortunately, hundred of untrained (Quakes, Babas, Hakems and Faqeers) are doing wrong practices in every village of Baltistan, even in Skardu city. They prescribe unnecessary injection to patients and involved in unhealthy practices like using unsterilized equipment for dental procedures including root canals.
Zanjeer Zani and cutting with Blades during the mourning ceremony of Great Aushara are very unhygienic. The people exchange the Chains and it can have a very bad result if they get in touch with an infected person. The blood during this practice spill to others mourners who have open wounds have a risk of this infection. We all have to think logically and also emotionally.
Traditionally unhygienic practice of nose and ear piercing, toothbrush sharing and even children use of shaving blades as sharpener after use is very common in remote areas of Baltistan. Circumcision and minor abscess drainage at home by local Babas is still available. Homos*xuality , unprotected s*x is a factor which is limited in our society.
Improper disposal of hospital wastes including (syringes, surgical gauges, urine and blood) is one of the most common contributing factors associated with the spread of hepatitis. Most of the hospitals in Baltistan have no proper system to dispose off the wastes. Even I personally observe some of children playing with used syringes. This is the worst condition of our society. Majority of the population may be unaware about the general knowledge of their spread.
Hepititis A is primilary transmitted by the f***l oral route. The main cause of this infection is contaminated water. Government should take steps for proper cleaning of drinking water. Swimming of child in summer in standing water pools may cause hepatitis A.
Alcohols and some other drugs like acetaminophen common known as Paracetamol may also aggravate the Hepatitis.
Preoperative screening of patients for hepatitis B or C is not performed routinely even if the patient is admitted for the first time. Thus, it places health care workers as well as other patients at a high risk of acquiring hepatitis B or C virus.
Due to financial crisis in general public, only upper and middle class people can afford private services especially for dental procedures, those who are unable to afford usually visit quacks or untrained medical professionals.
The GB government is still looking un-sensitized on this issue.
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