E-Paper
Punjab govt starts free Hepatitis B treatment, testing
Free screening tests and treatment to be available in all medical colleges, district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals and anti-retroviral treatment, oral substitution therapy centres. In addition, Hepatitis B viral load testing facility will be extended at 27 centres, free of cost
The Punjab government on Tuesday introduced free testing and treatment of Hepatitis B in all government health institutions.
Presiding over the statewide launch of the initiative at Mohali district hospital, health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the state government has introduced Hepatitis B screening tests and treatment in all medical colleges, district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals and anti-retroviral treatment, oral substitution therapy centres. In addition, Hepatitis B viral load testing facility will be extended at 27 centres, free of cost.
The state health department has entered into a rate contract with Oncquest Laboratories under which they have provided a laboratory technician at every district hospital and government medical college. Hepatitis B samples will be taken at these institutions free of cost from the patient while the cost of the test will be reimbursed to the lab at the rate of ₹851 by the government.
The line of treatment for Hepatitis B is long and expensive, but the state government will give free medicine to the concerned. Even the Hepatitis B positive Punjab patients under treatment in PGIMER will be provided medicine free of cost, Sidhu said adding that a nodal officer has been deputed in PGIMER for the same and has been handed over the stock of requisite medicine.
All patients infected with HIV, persons under treatment at OST centres and all pregnant women will be extended the Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C testing free of cost. Any rapid test positive will be followed by free viral load test.
All the medical specialists and doctors of Punjab who treat Hepatitis B and C have been trained by Dr Varinder Singh, professor and head of hepatology department, PGIMER and more training will be imparted in the future.
Punjab was the first in the country to introduce free test and treatment for Hepatitis C about five years ago. Hepatitis C treatment centres have been increased from 25 to 66. So far about 96,000 patients in Punjab have been treated for Hepatitis C free of cost. Their cure rate is 93%. The treatment of Hepatitis C was continued even during pandemic. In the year 2020, about 12,000 patients were treated for Hepatitis C and by May 2021, approximately 4,900 patients have been treated.
