IMPHAL, August 28: To tackle Hepatitis-C epidemic in Manipur with a specific outlook, task force on Hepatitis-C(hep-C) under the name “Viral Hepatitis-C Task Force, Government of Manipur” has been formed in Manipur on Sunday. The decision to this effect was arrived at during a day-long training programme cum consultation on “Use of DAAs for treatment of Hepatitis C” organised under the joint aegis of Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE); Directorate of Health Services, Government of Manipur; and Babina Diagnostics at the conference hall of Babina Diagnostics, Porompat on Sunday.
Speaking as chief guest during the inaugural function of the training programme, Director of Health Services Dr. Okram Ibomcha, who is also the State Health Mission Director, said the initiative taken up by CoNE in organising such a programme is an important event in the history of tackling hepatitis-C which has become a serious issue in the state.
“Among various types of hepatitis, hep-C has become the most problematic and is slowly turning to be an increasing burden in Manipur which needs to be addressed immediately,” Dr. Ibomcha said.
While pointing out the need to initiate a task force on hepatitis-C, the Health Director also made it clear that political will and government support are needed to tackle the epidemic. “All possible help will be rendered from the side of the government in this regard”, he assured.
He also said that the training programme, which is the need of the hour, will provide all the required information and knowledge to the doctors on treatment of hepatitis-C.
The Director also assured that he would take up all required measures to include DAAs drugs in the approved drug list under Manipur State Illness Assistance Fund (MSIAF) within a week’s time, if at all, the drug is not included till today.
Delivering the presidential speech, Chairman and Managing Director of Babina Diagnostics Dr. Th. Dhabali informed that there is high prevalence of hep-c in the state with approximately 1.5 % prevalence rate among the general population and an alarming 80-90% among the injecting drug users (IDUs). Hep-C is more infectious than HIV and AIDS.
“This is a huge challenge in the health care scenario of the state,” he said and further stated that many of the people, both the general public and the medical practitioners, do not have the required knowledge and information on hep-c and its treatment processes which was very unfortunate.
Dr. N Surajkumar Singh, consultant hepatologist and amp; gastroenterologist, JNIMS, who was present as the guest of honour on the occasion, pointed out the need to form a task force on hep-c in the state.
CoNE president Rk. Nalinikanta, in his keynote address, said the main objective of the training programme was to build a set of physicians who are willing and skilled in the treatment of hep-C using the second generation DAAs in the state; make easy access to medical care and treatment of hep-c and also to prepare a base work for future physicians led viral hepatitis response in the state.
Dr. N Surajkumar Singh spoke on the topic “Disease burden of HCV in Manipur and its management,” while Dr H Diamond, SMO, DTC, Imphal East presented a paper on the topic “Treatment of HIV/HCV co-infection”.
