4 lakh tribal kids to be screened for hepatitis

Bhubaneswar: Health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak flagged off a tribal-centric hepatitis mission aiming at building awareness, prevention and eradication of viral hepatitis here on Thursday.
The action plan, SOA-Adivasi Hepatitis Mission (SOA-AHM), has been prepared by the SOA University (SOAU).
Amit Banerjee, vice-chancellor of SOAU, said measures will be taken for screening nearly four lakh tribal children in government-run schools for hepatitis virus.This will be followed up with vaccination. Eventually, the plan is to cover the entire tribal population which is close to one crore in Odisha, he said.
Addressing a programme jointly organized by the SOAU and state branch of Odisha Scouts and Guides here to mark the World Hepatitis Day, Nayak focused on increased awareness about the hepatitis virus while calling for united efforts by the government and private sector institutions in healthcare initiatives.
The health minister said the government is planning to set up low-cost hospitals in the districts on public-private-partnership (PPP) mode so that healthcare can be provided to the people at their doorstep. He said the stage has been set for commencement of liver transplantation at the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack.
Mayor Anant Narayan Jena flagged off a walkathon, organized by Apollo Hospitals, to mark the World Hepatitis Day. Dr Sushant Sethi, senior consultant gastroenterology and hepatology, Apollo Hospitals, Bhubaneswar, said there is need to expand vaccination programmes for hepatitis B, focus on preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B and improve injection, blood and surgical safety.