Medical practitioners trained on Hep-C treatment

IMPHAL | Oct 11

With an aim to build the skill set of physicians to treat viral Hepatitis-C using direct acting antiviral (DAAs) Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) in consultation with directorate of health service, organised a one-day orientation for medical officers on Hep-C screening, diagnostics and treatment Hotel Classic today.

A statement issued by the R.K. Nalinikanta (Kanta) president CoNE, said the network has been undertaking various activities and efforts to improve access to screening, diagnosis and treatment of people for viral hepatitis B and C.

Specifically on viral hepatitis C, with the newer medications also known as Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs), patients can be now cured with less than 20,000 Rupees for a 12 weeks therapy with minimal to nil side effects, it said. 

To further expand the access to treatment, CoNE has been organising a series of training for medical doctors from different districts of Manipur including rural and hills areas, on how to use these DAAs for the treatment of hepatitis C, the first training of which has been held on August 28, 2016 in association with the directorate of health services and the Babina Diagnostics.

As a continuation, CoNE in consultation with directorate of health service, government of Manipur organised the training programme today, it added.

RIMS associate professor and Gastroenterologist, Dr Karam Romeo Singh and associate professor department of medicine JNIMS Dr. Kh. Lokeshwar Singh attended the programme as resource persons during the training session.

It said altogether, 21 medical practitioners from different districts of the state including Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Churachandpur, Tamenglong, Senapati and Ukhrul participated at the training programme.