Dimapur, June 8 (EMN): A meeting to discuss viral Hepatitis C was conducted in the office of Lightway Society at Pfutsero in Phek on June 7. “The meeting was held with the main objective to empower them with knowledge on the developments happening around hepatitis C in the state, particularly in the context of treatment,” stated a press release from the ARK Foundation of Kohima.
Ketho Angami, president of the ARK Foundation, briefed the gathering about the “national challenge and the state challenge” such as not having any data leading to complete absence of any program initiative.
Citing the example of existing data for Phek district, he was quoted as having stated that the infection rate of Hepatitis C was significantly high in the district and therefore needs urgent intervention. He said “presumably the infection will be spreading and those already infected may not be aware of their status due to lack of testing and diagnostic facilities. To this, he also mentioned about the process of how Hepatitis C is tested and diagnosed.”
Referring to current treatments, he talked about the availability of better, cheaper, friendly drugs “with more responsive rate of cure as compared to the earlier standard of treatment with weekly injectables,” the press release stated. “Ketho, also facilitated a discussion session with them on how to make some plans for addressing the burden of Hepatitis C.”
The press release stated that it was agreed that the NGO would conduct meetings with drug users and “basing on their feedback will further discuss with ARK Foundation, and take it forward.”
The expected outcome was that nongovernmental organisations and other stakeholders would start taking ‘ownership of the disease, while acknowledging the emerging need to tackle this public health threat.’
The meeting ended with the nongovernmental organisations being urged to include the topic of Hepatitis C in their day-to-day activities and to refer their peers and clients for testing, diagnose and treatment to which ARK will provide technical support, the press release stated.
