Plan to Eliminate and Eradicate Hepatitis C Implemented in Areas under Coverage of the University

Head of contingent diseases department of deputy for health at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences said: “World Health Organization plans to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030 and the Ministry of Health attempts to implement this plan in the country”.

According to WebDa, Dr. Zahra Nehbandani stated: “hepatitis C affects the patient’s liver and is known as a viral disease. Those who suffer from this disease might be affected by underlying immunodeficiency diseases and sometimes may get hepatitis C without any underlying diseases”.

He said: “in this line, hepatitis C elimination and eradication headquarters was established, the plans were communicated to various organizations, arrangements were made and the target groups were informed, samples were taken, films and video clips were also made with the help of health donors”.

Head of contingent diseases department of deputy for health at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences said: “eliminating hepatitis is different from eradicating it; under the elimination plan that is followed globally by all countries, attempts are made to eliminate possibility of local transition of this diseases from one person to another, while under the eradication plan, the virus which carries the disease is eliminated”.

He said: “to locally eliminate this disease in Iran, it is now tried to identify and treat people with hepatitis by taking their blood samples”.

Pointing to the number of those with hepatitis in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Nehbandani said: “1879 patients were identified, treated, taken care of and have files since 15 years ago when identifying and treating hepatitis began”.

Head of contingent diseases department of deputy for health at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences stated: “of this number, 1670 patients had hepatitis B and 119 other patients suffer from type C hepatitis”.

He said: “taking a blood test and referring to the nearest health care center, people can become aware if they already caught the disease and follow the process of their treatment”.

Dr. Nehbandani noted that hepatitis vaccination is carried out in all health care centers and it is provided for free for risk groups.

He said: “the private sectors should also provide hepatitis vaccine from drugstores and vaccinate their personnel for free”.

The conference ‘hepatitis C from prevention to elimination and eradication’ will be held

The fourth conference titled ‘hepatitis C from prevention to elimination and eradication’ with retraining scores was held in Mashhad.

According to WebDa, in cooperation with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences this conference was held this October in Ferdowsi Hall of Jahad Daneshgahi located on Adabyat 3-way intersection especially for target groups: general physicians, internal specialists, infectious disease specialists, social medicine specialists, and adult digestion and liver sub-specialists.