Pakistan Society for the Study of Liver Diseases (PSSLD) in collaboration with World Congress of Gastroenterology Karachi Training Centre, Aga Khan University (AKU) and the Pakistan chapter of the international forum Advancing Clinical Treatment of Hepatitis B Virus (ACT-HBV) held Hepatitis Day on July 28, 2007 at AKU. Pakistan 's endemic health problems and particularly infections, are preventable and treatable.
Participants included eminent health sciences professionals from institutions across the country. Dr Wasim Jafri, Professor and Chair of AKU's Department of Medicine, who is also the President of PSSLD and head of ACT-HBV's Pakistan chapter, strongly urged physicians and trainee doctors to play their part in preventing, diagnosing and treating liver diseases by keeping themselves fully updated. General Secretary PSSLD, Prof Saeed Hamid welcomed the leading national hepatologists and appreciated their willingness to raise the awareness of liver diseases among the physician community.
Experts expressed concern that the country lacked adequate sanitation and hygienic water supply in major cities and the rural situation was much worse. Unhygienic sanitary conditions, non-availability of clean drinking water and defective sewage disposal are the major contributing factors in the continuous spread of hepatitis A and E. In Pakistan , chronic liver disease due to hepatitis C, B and D viruses is rampant and prevalence of hepatitis C is and B are 6 and 4 per cent respectively.
The session, dedicated to Hepatitis B was chaired by Dr Wazir Shaikh, Professor of Medicine oft Chandka Medical College , Larkana. The Government's perspective was presented by Dr Sharif Khan, Manager of the Prime Minister's Hepatitis Control Programme and Dr Huma Qureshi, Executive Director Pakistan Medical Research Council presented the prevalence data. Other specialists included Dr Qazi Masroor of Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur, Prof. Shoaib Shafi, of Rawalpindi Medical College, and AKU's Prof Saeed Hamid. Prof Wasim Jafri presented the liver specialist's view point in management of Hepatitis B. Dow University of Health Sciences' (DUHS) Prof. Raana Masood shared the Sarwar Jehan Zuberi Liver Unit's concept and experience for the public sector.
The session on hepatitis C was chaired by Prof Saeed Khokhar of PGMI Services Hospital , Lahore . Prof Wasim Jafri and Brig. Dr Masood Siddiq, Professor and Consultant Fauji Foundation Hospital , Rawalpindi spoke on its national and global burden. AKU's Dr Mohammad Salih highlighted the effect on other organs. Global best practices management of the disease was presented by Dr Muzaffar Gill, Professor Shifa International Islamabad and AKU's Dr Zaigham Abbas.
The session on hepatitis A and E was chaired by Prof Saeed Qureshi of DUHS and Dr Muazzamuddin, Consultant Gastroenterologist from Quetta . The national hepatitis A burden was highlighted by AKU's Dr Uzma Shah, and Dr Sadik Memon of ISRA University , Hyderabad , who presented hepatitis A vaccination data. For hepatitis E, relevant data was given by AKU's Dr Shahab Abid. High maternal mortality in acute hepatitis E was highlighted by Dr Javed Iqbal Farooqi of PGMI Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar and AKU's Dr Ashfaq Ahmed highlighted the development of hepatitis E vaccination.
The general consensus among the participants was that there is a need for combined efforts that could help combat the menace of chronic hepatitis B and C. It is hoped that PSSLD would provide a platform towards a healthier and hepatitis free Pakistan.