State VHCP rendering best possible services to public, says nodal officer

Dimapur, Aug. 15 (EMN): While accepting the fact that the state Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (VHCP) has not been able to provide usual services due to present prevailing Covid19 situation in Nagaland, the state nodal officer, Dr. Vezokholu Theyo, clarified that it has been rendering its best possible services to the general public including high risk population.

Theyo was responding to an article on World Hepatitis Day, published on July 29.

In a press release issued on Saturday, Theyo stated that the state VHCP has integrated with all national programmes under NHM, NSACS where workforce is in place for implementing hepatitis testing and treatment besides conducting capacity building and training of manpower for the network of viral testing to achieve targets.

He said Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Core Diagnostics, Gurugram in Haryana has been engaged for viral load testing and a lab technician has been entrusted to travel to districts where packaging for sample transportation is being demonstrated to lab technicians and subsequent sample transport is being done by the sending district.

Nagaland with CBNAAT machine for viral load HCV at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK), all HCV requiring viral load has been tested with CBNAAT during this Covid-19 pandemic, he informed.

Ten clients line listing received from the ARK President and member of NUN on July 15 and appointment given on July 31 for viral load testing but due to lockdown it was rescheduled to August 4, but none of the HCV patients turned up for testing. However, communication has been given again and arrangement has been made for August 17 and the 18th at Microbiology department, NHAK, he said.

As the district hospital has been converted to Covid-19 hospital, all essential services are being provided at primary and community centres. Information education and communication materials like banners, posters, pamphlets etc. are in place for community awareness, he informed.

Under the programme, so far, 17,765 people have been screened for Hepatitis C and 21,130 people were screened for Hepatitis B from August 2019 to July 2020 in the state. A total 76 persons have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C, 49 patients completed treatment and three patients with HCV viral load below limit of detection and hence not started treatment.

Two patients are being treated by a private doctor and attained SVR-12, hence not started treatment. Out of the total, eight patients are co-infected (HIV+Hep C), six completed treatment, two defaulters and the rest are undergoing treatment, he informed.

The nodal officer, further expressed confidence that this integrated approach of working closely with the community, associated directly or indirectly to the response of hepatitis will have synergistic effect in controlling and achieving the aim of reducing the morbidity and mortality.