Healthcare is one of Essar Foundation’s primary areas of operations. In current times personal health is of greater importance especially since our medical infrastructure is extremely stretched. Hence Essar Foundation have been associating with the NGO Pasbaan-e-Adab to organise virtual sessions to build awareness on various medical conditions.
Recently Essar Foundation supported the online interactive session to educate the community on diagnosis, prevention measures, effects, causes and implications of hepatitis. This is the second such session we have orgnaised in collaboration with Pasbaan-e-Adab. The session was hosted by Dr. Om Shrivastava, who was joined by a panel of esteemed doctors like Dr. Umesh Khode (Medical Director, Siemens, Mumbai), Dr. Ajay Jhaveri (Gastroenterologist).
Dr. Shrivastava opened the discussion by introducing the viewers to the panelists. He swiftly started the discussion by explaining hepatitis in lay terms for the audience. The panel then proceeded to discuss some important aspects of the disease, its prevention, and its cure.
What is hepatitis?
Dr. Jhaveri explained to viewers that hepatitis is the swelling of various parts of liver that eventually affects its normal functioning. In certain cases, lungs and stomach might also be affected. There are various reasons for development of this condition: viruses, lifestyle issues, and hereditary factors. The hepatitis caused by five different viruses have been named Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, and Hepatitis E, respectively.
How does it spread?
Dr. Khode highlighted that out of the five viral Hepatitis infections, Hepatitis A and E are spread through contaminated water and food. Hepatitis B is likely to be passed on to the child from mother hereditarily while Hepatitis C and D have various additional ways of transmission such as unhygienic injection practices, and unprotected close physical contact.
In fact, Dr Khode emphasised that Hepatitis C and B are much more likely to spread through use of contaminated needles when compared to a disease like HIV.
Nausea, abdominal pain, stomach pain and fever are some of the common symptoms of Hepatitis.
How to prevent getting affected?
The doctors discussed that clean hygienic lifestyle is key to avoiding viral Hepatitis infections. People should be wary of what they eat and ensure to have only clean, well cooked food and drink purified water. As vigilant patients, we should ensure that all needles and medical supplies used on us is fresh and clean. Additionally, adults should be cautious about unprotected sexual contact.
How is it treated?
Dr. Khode told the viewers that Hepatitis A and E are self-limiting diseases and often do not require external medication, especially if the patient is a healthy adult with a good immune system.
Dr. Jhaveri added that B and C might require medical treatment on basis of liver tests and viral load measurement. Close family members of a person infected with hepatitis should be cautious and reach out to their doctors if they experience any uneasiness, as tablets are available for treatment of these viral Hepeatitis-related infections.
In rare, cases, advanced medical intervention might be required, which would be decided on a case-to-case basis by the doctor.
Conclusion
The panelists requested the viewers to be cautious and undertake all precautions to avoid getting infected by Hepatitis. They also highlighted the need for proper treatment incase hepatitis is detected. They assured the audience that the treatment is safe, cost-effective and has no serious side effects.
NOTE: THIS INFORMATION WAS SHARED VIRTUALLY IN PUBLIC INTEREST AND SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED AS PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN FOR SPECIFIC MEDICAL ADVICE.