IMPHAL, Aug 17 - In a move to spread awareness about viral Hepatitis B and C and the importance of its treatment, the Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE), recently launched a month-long HCV (Hepatitis C) advocacy campaign � Healthy Liver Festival in Manipur.
The time to spread awareness on HCV among the general population and particularly among the people who inject drugs (PWID) in the State, is a need of the hour in view of the high prevalence rate of HCV, said RK Nalinikanta, CoNE president.
Though there is no official record of the prevalence rate of HCV in Manipur, an independent HCV serological survey conducted by CoNE in partnership with State Health department in the nine districts of the State detected as many as 494 positive cases out of 1,011 people screened in 2014, he said. Interestingly, among the positive cases, 83 per cent are found to be PWID.
Considering the alarming scenario of HCV in the State, CoNE has taken up the initiative to conduct a month-long campaign in and around Imphal area, as part of their continuous campaign to urge policy makers, health care providers and political leaders to improve access to hepatitis services through various steps in partnership with like-minded groups, to focus on viral hepatitis as there is no HCV-related service available in the State, he added. Manipur has nearly eight per cent of India�s total HIV positive cases.
He also appealed to the concerned authorities to look into the matter with seriousness before the situation becomes worse.
Reports said more than 400 milllion people worldwide are suffering from viral hepatitis B and C while 1.5 million people are dying annually due to Hepatitis B and C.
