A two-day batch-wise orientation on "Screening, Vaccination, Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatitis-B" concluded at The Castle Hotel, Palace Compound, Imphal East, on Friday organised by Community Network of Empowerment (CoNE).
It was organised with an aim to strengthen the skills and understanding of the counsellors engaged in privately run drug treatment centres on the mode of hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission, its preventive measures and medications.
In a release, CoNE said that counselors of drug treatment centres across the state who are, in many cases, the first line counsellors who are well positioned to talk to people about hepatitis B and the benefits of testing, screening, diagnosis and treatment, attended the event.
Medical Superintendent of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) Dr Khumukcham Lokeshwar Singh was present as resource person/trainers during both the days of the workshop.
Dr Lokeshwar highlighted on the topics including - causes, symptoms and signs of liver disease; Natural History of Viral Hepatitis B; mode of transmission and preventive measures; testing and serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection; non-invasive markers of chronic liver disease; vaccination of newborn, high risk groups and prophylaxis to prevent mother to child transmission.
Participants were made to understand the structures and basic functions of Liver, different signs and symptoms causing liver diseases, mode of HBV transmission and its preventive measures
CoNE president RK Nalinikanta, who was also present as one of the resource persons from the community, spoke on the topic "Why should we be concerned about viral hepatitis" and on the aspects of the national program so that the attending health care providers have a basic understanding on the global scenario on the burdens of Viral hepatitis.
The two-day orientation programme was attended by 44 participants.
