Hepatitis C

India faces a significant hepatitis burden, contributing to a high number of global deaths. Despite progress in reducing infections, the world is off track to meet 2030 elimination targets due to gaps in vaccination, screening, and treatment access. Viral hepatitis remains a major public health threat.

A critically ill drug addict, whose family's plight was highlighted in news reports, died at Amritsar Medical College within 24 hours of admission. Despite efforts, the patient succumbed to multiple complications, leaving his grieving mother to reiterate her claim that all five sons were lost to addiction, a statement contested by police.

In India, the possibility of a complication on the surgical table is higher than the global average, opening an added dimension of risk

There is good news for an estimated 11 million Indians who are infected with the Hepatitis C virus — considered even deadlier than HIV.

As many as two lakh people have been screened in Punjab in the last five years for Hepatitis C and about 97,000 patients have been put on free treatment, of which 93% have recovered.

Excessive consumption of caffeinated energy drinks and treatment by unqualified practitioners led to eight hepatitis B deaths in Palwal's Chainsa. The district administration has registered FIRs against five quacks and is investigating illegal medical practices. Officials believe heavy energy drink intake may have worsened liver damage in infected patients.

US pharma firm Gilead Sciences has offered to introduce Sovaldi, the first breakthrough treatment for Hepatitis C virus, in India at nearly 99% discount of the US price.

Even as a controversy rages on globally over the eye-popping price of US firm Gilead Science’s Hepatitis C drug at $1,000 a pill, Indian patients have already begun importing the medicine from countries like Canada spending, in some cases, up to Rs 1 crore.

Kalala, a nondescript village in Barnala district may have become famous overseas due to a wine brand being launched in its name in Canada's British Columbia (BC) province by one of its natives, but these days it is in the news for not so healthy reasons.

The best medicine to treat Hepatitis C would soon be available at a rate lower than market at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS).

Life-saving medicines, especially for complex chronic diseases like Hepatitis C (Hep C), are facing multiple hurdles here in the form of Big Pharma’s pricing strategy, government apathy to accelerate approvals and intellectual property challenges.

The national programme to combat viral hepatitis was launched from civicrun Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General (LTMG) Hospital on Sunday on World Hepatitis Day. The state will roll out free treatment for Hepatitis C through eight model centres, including LTMG Hospital in Sion.

The two minor girls of Swarupnagar Shelter Home in Kanpur, who had been found HIV and Hepatitis-C positive in a preliminary screening, tested negative for the two viruses in a confirmatory test at a city laboratory.

Experts are shocked after an unusually high prevalence of Hepatitis C -- liver disease caused by Hepatitis C virus (HCV) -- among 10%-20% population was detected in several pockets in city and districts.

The doctors expressed their concern over increasing number of liver cirrhosis among Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C patients.

Many people with chronic Hepatitis C do not show symptoms and do not know they are infected. People with chronic Hepatitis C can live for decades without symptoms or feeling sick. When symptoms do appear, they often are a sign of advanced liver disease, say experts.

People suffering with chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) infection may now look forward to financial aid from the state government. The state health department is proposing to include the disease in the list of non-curable diseases for which financial assistance is facilitated by the UP government.

Gadharona village in Roorkee has become a Hepatitis C hotspot with over 100 cases reported in the last two months. The health department conducted medical camps, diagnosing 54 out of 75 suspected cases.

Sofosbuvir, the wonder medicine for Hepatitis C that costs $84,000 or Rs 50.4 lakh for a 24-week treatment regimen in the US, will soon be available in India for about $1,800 or roughly Rs 1.1 lakh for the same regimen.

The Punjab government has launched a dedicated programme to identify cases of Hepatitis C in all its central jails. The state claims to have become first in the country to take such an initiative.

Forty-three cases of Hepatitis C have been detected among 700-odd injecting drug users, also called IDUs, in Goa. NGO, Positive People, who works with IDUs, started testing for the disease two years ago and members say they come across at least one case of Hepatitis C every month.

Silent killer Hepatitis C has spread its tentacles in the border village of Marhi Megha after more than four confirmed cases of Hepatitis C reported within a short span of time.