Apathy, ignorance speeding up Hepatitis-B spread in Kupwara

Two years after it was reported from Diver area of Kupwara, Hepatitis B continues to infect more and more people for want of health education and screening by authorities.

Hepatitis B has been reported in a large number of people in Kakadpati (Diver) village of Lolab in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district triggering panic in the area. Health authorities on Monday confirmed that 59 patients had tested positive for Hepatitis B in Kakadpati and Hajam Mohalla of Diver Lolab.

However, some health officials said that the number might be much more considering that only 2000 people had been screened out of the 9000 villagers of the area. Some months back, as per CMO Kupwara, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Lone, 90 samples were taken of which 8 tested positive for Hepatitis B.

Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr. Sumir Ji Mattoo downplayed the situation and said that there were no new cases. “All these are old cases. There’s nothing new in this,” he said. Asked whether any fresh screening of population had been carried out, he said, “We will start it soon.”

He also said that Health department will treat patients wherever necessary. “We will bear the expenses,” he added.

Considering seriousness of the outbreak, the health authorities including CMO Kupwara, BMO Sogam, and district tuberculosis officer (DTO) Kupwara rushed to the area and held a meeting to carry out mass screening of the people in the area.

Talking to us, BMO Sogam Dr. Firdous Ahmed said, “We have decided to carry out screening of 1640 students of different schools of Diver area on priority on Wednesday and in the second phase more than 9000 people of the area will be screened.”

“We have established a full-fledged lab at sub centre Diver, where tests of the locals will be conducted,” BMO said. “We have problem of funds as expenses will be incurred on sampling, testing and immunization. At this stage it is not clear that where from the funds will come,” the BMO said.

A team from Directorate of Health comprising of a Microbiologist and Epidemiologist visited the area today and took stock of the situation.

“To carry out mass screening of the villagers including local schools to prevent the disease from further spreading we have started health education in the area and are involving panchayat representatives, anganwadi workers, ASHA workers and telling people about Dos and Donts of Hepatitis B,” an official said.

No mass awareness activity has been carried out in the area till date to educate people about Hepatists B and how it spreads from person to person. According to doctors, there is a misconception that this disease is water borne. The medicos blamed local chemists, barber shops and quacks who ‘operate in unhygienic conditions’ for the spread of disease.

“Some news outlets had also reported wrong facts about the means of spreading Hepatitis B, adding to the confusion and risking lives of people. The infection is blood-borne and can spread through infected needles and unsafe blood transfusion and re-use of infected blades for shaving. So the medical team is conducting awareness program to prevent the spread of infection,” BMO Sogam, Dr. Firdous Ahmad said.

“Most of the chemists, dental clinics are violating the norms and operate in unhygienic conditions using unsterilized surgical instruments,” said a medico.

He said that this disease might have spread due to infected blades or dental procedures. There are also reports of people taking services of quacks sitting on roadsides for extraction of teeth, fillings etc.

He said barbers re-use the blades which helps spread of disease. “To prevent it from spreading further we have asked people to take precautionary measures,” he further said.