People Urged To Get Themselves Tested For Hepatitis

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Jul, 2021 ) :Children's Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Habib Ahmad Buttar has said that the number of hepatitis patients increases after every half a minute and more than 325 million people are suffering from this disease currently.

Therefore, he added, people must get themselves and their children tested for hepatitis at the earliest to save the future generations from this disease.

Addressing a seminar, organised here to mark the World Hepatitis Day, he said that Children's Hospital had a complete unit of gastroenterology and hepatology for children and all kinds of facilities including endoscopy were available while the children were treated here free-of-cost.

He said that parents should contact Children's Hospital immediately if they feel any problems or symptoms of any disease in their children so that treatment could be provided to them.

Prof Dr Khwaja Amjad, a senior gastroenterologist, appreciated the government efforts to create awareness among people about various diseases including hepatitis. He said that polluted and contaminated water was a major source of spread of hepatitis, whereas stale and unhygienic food was also a cause of hepatitis.

Due to construction and repair of roads in old settlements, dirty sewerage water enters the lines of clean drinking water due to breakage of sewage pipes and it also causes spread of gastro and hepatitis disease at a large extent.

He said that the people should eat fresh food and use potable water and ensure simplicity in their routine life if they want to protect them from hepatitis and other diseases.

He said that the hotel staff should also be tested for hepatitis after every six months and in this connection, the Punjab Food Authority should play an active role to ensure hygienic conditions in hotels, bakeries, tea stalls and other eatery shops.

Earlier, an awareness walk was also taken out from the OPD Ward of Children's Hospital to create awareness among the people about hepatitis.

Hospital MS Dr Habib Ahmad Buttar led the walk while Prof Dr Khwaja Amjad, Dr Hina Ayesha, Dr Nagina Shehzadi and a large number of people from different walks of life participated in it.