23% of Punjab’s Hepatitis C patients in Sangrur, Muktsar

27,000 people, mostly from Malwa, afflicted with contagious virus in state; Moga, Tarn Taran, Bathinda, Mansa are other vulnerable districts

SANGRUR/MUKTSAR: After Muktsar was ranked among the country’s dirtiest cities under the Swachh Survekshan-2017, there is more bad news for the district.

Muktsar, along with Sangrur district, accounts for almost one fourth of the Hepatitis C cases detected in Punjab under an ongoing progrmame.

As per the diagnostic count in the past one year, Sangrur has the highest number of 3,981 cases of Hepatitis C, followed by Muktsar with 2,444. The state has 27,198 such cases. Hepatitis C is a contagious infection of the liver. These cases were detected during the diagnostic count under the Mukh Mantri Punjab Hepatitis C Relief Fund scheme launched on June 18, 2016.

Other vulnerable districts include Moga (2,308), Tarn Taran (2,205), Bathinda (1,945) and Mansa (1,550).

FREE TREATMENT

Under the ‘Mukh Mantri Punjab Hepatitis C Relief Fund’ scheme, every patient at the government hospitals undergoes the diagnosis. If found afflicted with the virus, he or she is enrolled for treatment. The treatment in the form of medication is free under the scheme.

“Tests, which cost between ₹5,000 and ₹8,000 in private labs, are done at ₹2,200. If not cured in time, hepatitis C can lead to liver cancer,” said Dr Gurinder Kaur at the Muktsar civil hospital. If not cured, the disease might further cause liver cancer, she said.

Muktsar district health officials said the results of the special diagnostic drive show the incidence rate of Hepatitis C virus to be high.

“A sizeable number of patients who come with complaints such as fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine or grey-coloured faeces have been found to be affected by hepatitis C,” she said.

Dr Vikram Asjia, scheme coordinator for Muktsar district, said the number of hepatitis C patients has gone up due to “increased awareness level” and more than 1,000 people have been treated successfully. “The problem is being constantly monitored,” he added.

CAUGHT UNAWARES

In many cases, the patients, who arrived at the civil hospital for one or the other ailment, were caught unawares when diagnosed with Hepatitis C.

Ramanpreet Kaur had to postpone her trip to Canada after being found infected with the disease. “Due to health reasons, we had to postpone my marriage,” said Ramanpreet, who was spotted at the civil hospital.

Shafian, who came to Sangrur civil hospital from Malerkotla, had to be operated for an intestinal disease but the pre-operation tests detected hepatitis C too. In Sangrur, the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus was in rural areas of Malerkotla and Dhuri blocks as per the survey conducted by the district medical officers.

The negligence of dental doctors was being seen as one of the major causes for the spread of the disease.

Tests, which cost between ₹5,000 and ₹8,000 in private labs, are done at ₹2,200. If not cured in time, hepatitis C can lead to liver cancer DR GURINDER KAUR, Muktsar civil hospital