CUTTACK: Community barbers, particularly in rural areas, have a major role in spreading Hepatitis B and C in the State. Blood to blood contact is the most potent transmission route of Hepatitis B and C virus and shared razor blades are among the prime vehicles for taking the infection from one person to another. There is an urgent need for educating both the people and barbers that shared blades can spread the disease and persuading them to adopt safe practices.
With the focus of World Hepatitis Day on Saturday being ‘finding the missing millions’, the experts have called for greater action to create awareness about the disease, its prevention by safe practices and vaccination. Only around 38 per cent and 32 per cent of the population in Odisha was aware of the disease and vaccine respectively. But, more than half of these were completely ignorant of the transmission risks, infection and availability of vaccines.
“It is very unfortunate that despite the availability of the vaccine, Hepatitis B continues to be the causative agent for almost 20 per cent cases of Acute Hepatitis B in the State and 75 per cent of primary liver cancer in Odisha. The common reason for non-vaccination was lack of awareness and an overwhelming 60 per cent of the people blame the Government, doctors, social organisations for their ignorance,” said Prof SP Singh, Professor of Gastroenterology SCBMCH, Cuttack and President of South Asian Association of the Study of Liver (SAASL).
“There is a need for doctors to come out of their ‘treat only’ cocoon, and get actively involved in ‘preventing disease’. Like polio and smallpox eradication success stories, it can be achieved through the greater participation of Government agencies and NGOs, so that more people have access to treatment. Only then we would able to remove the menace of hepatitis from the world,” he stated.