Media Release
Udupi, Jul 28: World Hepatitis Day is observed globally on July 28 to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, promote preventive measures, and encourage screening and treatment for the disease. This year’s theme for World Hepatitis Day is ‘We’re not waiting’.
The theme implies that people living with this disease who are unaware about it must get tested immediately and must get life saving treatments immediately. The World Health Organisation aims to eliminate hepatitis by 2030.
As a part of this, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal in association with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Udupi District organized a workshop on viral hepatitis for government doctors. Dr Nagabushan Udupa H, district health and family welfare officer inaugurated the workshop and said, “A lot of people in India are getting infected with the hepatitis virus every day. People who are unaware of the disease should be diagnosed and treated in the early stages. Today we have organized this workshop in association with Kasturba Hospital Manipal to train government doctors." He said that all doctors should take advantage of this and help in the early detection of hepatitis infection in the community and provide appropriate treatment.
Dr Anand Venugopal, COO,Teaching Hospital, MAHE, Manipal, Dr Avinash Shetty, medical superintendent-Kasturba Hospital, Dr Chidananda Sanju S V, district TB officer and AIDS control officer and Dr Shiran Shetty, head, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kasturba Hospital and honorary consultant and subject expert, Udupi District Viral Hepatitis Control Committee were present.
Dr Shiran Shetty, head, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Dr Ganesh Bhat, professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, Dr Ashwini M A, senior scientific officer, Department of Neurovirology, NIMHANS, Bengaluru and Dr Chythtra R Rao, professor, Department of Community Medicine were the resource persons for the workshop
Dr Divya Arvind Prabhu gave an introduction of the workshop and master of ceremony for the programme.