Odisha declares Hepatitis B and C as notifiable diseases

With Hepatitis ‘B’ and Hepatitis ‘C’ emerging as a major health problem in the state, Odisha government declared them as notifiable diseases with immediate effect.

In a statement on Friday, the state health and family welfare department asked all healthcare facilities to take immediate steps for notification of Hepatitis (Hepatitis-B and Hepatitis-C) cases at the earliest.

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"In exercise of the powers conferred under Section (2) (1) of the Epidemic Disease Act-1897, the government prescribed in the notification that all healthcare providers (Govt/Private/ NGO sector) where diagnosis, tests and treatment of patients is undertaken shall have to take adequate steps for timely notification of Hepatitis-B and Hepatitis-C diseases (screened or confirmed) to the district surveillance officers and state surveillance officer," the notification said.

The state government said chronic Hepatitis-B and Hepatitis-C cases are major public health concerns accounting for substantial morbidity, mortality and economic loss in Odisha.

These two are blood-borne and transmissible viral diseases, officials said.

While Hepatitis-C is curable if treated on time for three months, Hepatitis-B requires lifelong treatment, the notification said, adding that both the diseases can give rise to liver damage and hepato-cellular carcinoma (liver cancer) if they remain undiagnosed and untreated.

The state government said it is determined to bring down the Hepatitis infectivity and case load to elimination level in a time-bound manner.