A Hepatitis screening camp was conducted exclusively for the staff and health workers of Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) here from September 13 to 15.
Medical tests were done for 2,000 persons, including the nursing staff, stretcher bearers, sweepers, pharmacists, lab technicians and others employees of GRH under the aegis of the hospital’s Department of Medical Gastroenterology.
L.Thayumanavan, Head of the Department, has said on Saturday that the test results will be processed and analysed in the next few days after which follow up treatment for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C will be given to affected persons.
“This free screening camp was undertaken to commemorate the World Hepatitis Day which was observed on June 28. The GRH took efforts to get the required number of testing kits for our health workers and other employees,” he said while speaking at the Continuing Medical Education programme on viral Hepatitis organised at the end of the screening camp.
Stating that Hepatitis B is preventable and vaccine is available, Dr. Thayumanavan said that what is more important is public awareness since jaundice has no symptoms and blood test is the only way out.
N. Mohan, GRH Dean, who presided over the awareness programme, said that the Department of Medical Gastroenterology had done a commendable task in the interest of the health of hospital employees and nursing staff.
“Hepatitis is a global epidemic and India is no exception because the prevalence rate is between two to seven per cent.
Fatigue is the only basic symptom and hence it is advisable to go for simple blood test for jaundice and other liver problems,” he advised.
The Dean also urged the nursing students to learn more about prevention aspects and vaccination schedule to be followed for children.
“Based on the statistics available in the GRH blood bank which was prepared from blood donor analysis, the prevalence of Hepatitis in Madurai is 1.07 per cent,” he added. Dr. Mohan informed that GRH will soon have cancer screening camp for its woman employees.
T. Swaminathan, Medical Superintendent, said that the Department of Medical Gastroenterology of the GRH has been doing a pioneering work and 18,000 patients are treated in one year.