July 19,2019

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World Hepatitis Day- Helping to Change Millions of Life

Viral hepatitis has emerged as one of the biggest health threats in modern times. Over 300 million people across the globe are living with this liver infection unaware, and over 1.4 million are perishing every year. It is important to note that hepatitis is preventable, treatable, and in the case of hepatitis c, curable. However, 80% of people who have hepatitis lack prevention, testing and the required treatment.

World Hepatitis Day, observed on July 28 every year, aims to increase the global consciousness of hepatitis and also support the prevention, diagnosis and the treatment of it.

Likewise, a month long campaign called Hepatitis Awareness Month is held each May every year, solely for spreading awareness about viral Hepatitis all over the world.

Importance of World Hepatitis Day

After tuberculosis, the second major killer that takes millions of lives every year is viral hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is not an infection which is confined to just one location or only amongst a set of people. It is genuinely a rampant disease that is affecting a large number of people worldwide, without them even knowing.
For an epidemic that causes nine times more fatalities than HIV annually, there ought to be an awareness programme that can effectively educate the masses about it. World Hepatitis Day is that ideal platform where everybody can join together and raise the profile of viral hepatitis among the public. It also includes media and global health care fraternity as well.

Types of Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver. The most common reason for hepatitis globally is viruses. Other causes include heavy alcohol consumption, medications, toxins etc. There are mainly five main types of hepatitis: type A, B, C, D and E.

Hepatitis A

It is an infectious disease of the liver caused by hepatovirus A (HAV). The virus gets transmitted by eating food or drinking water infected with feces. Inadequate sanitation, lack of safe water and poor personal hygiene are the most common causes of Hepatitis A.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a contagious disease that can be long-lasting. Hepatitis B is a virus that affects the liver. The chronic infection of this disease can put people at high risk of Cirrhosis and liver cancer. The virus gets spread through contact with blood or bodily fluids of an infected person.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver infection which is caused by the hepatitis C virus. It can be both acute and chronic. Chronic Hepatitis C can cause severe complications like liver cancer, scarring of the liver and dilated blood vessel in the esophagus and stomach. Hepatitis C virus can get transmitted through transfusion of unsafe blood, sexual intercourse with a person infected with hepatitis c, body piercing in an unregulated setting etc.

Hepatitis D

Hepatitis D occurs when there is contact with the infected blood. The hepatitis D can only happen in a person who is having hepatitis B as well. Hence, people who are not affected with Hepatitis B can immunize themselves from hepatitis D infection by getting vaccinated against hepatitis B.

Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is the inflammation of the liver caused hepatitis E virus. This virus is a positive sense, non enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus, which is transmitted mainly through contaminated drinking water. It is usually a self -limiting infection which gets resolved within 4-5 weeks of the contraction. In rare cases, a fulminant form of hepatitis can occur from this virus leading to death.

What Is TPAF Doing To Combat Hepatitis?

Liver failure due to hepatitis C is one of the significant reasons for liver transplantation. Chronic Hepatitis C patients also face the huge risk of getting Cirrhosis. The patient needs timely liver transplantation during this stage. Lack of funds and difficulty in finding a donor can become huge barriers in conducting liver transplant surgery.
The Pravin Agarwal Foundation (TPAF) is a philanthropic platform that helps carry out liver transplantation surgery in patients experiencing end-stage liver diseases. They collaborate with crowd funding platforms and health care centers all over India to make the surgery easily accessible and affordable.

Contribution of TPAF Towards Paediatric Liver Transplant

Usually, living transplant in children has quite a few challenges as small-sized liver are in short supply and cannot depend entirely on liver donations from the deceased. As there is only a limited amount of time available, it can create a tremendous amount of pressure to the child patient’s family.

The Pravin Agarwal Foundation is devoted to making paediatric liver transplant more accessible to all the families across India whose children are in dire need of the surgery. So far, TPAF has supported over 100 paediatric liver transplant in India. Their contributions to facilitating successful liver transplant surgery are:

• TPAF collaborates with globally renowned crowdfunding partners like Milaap for helping the families of child patients to get the Liver Transplantation Surgery done. They also give financial assistance in the case of fund gaps.
• TPAF join hands with healthcare enterprises like private hospitals and paediatric liver transplant centers in India. They then rationalize the surgery costs to make it more affordable to the child patient’s family.

Ever since it was established in 2017 starting only with supporting 15 children, The Pravin Agarwal Foundation has so far conducted 100 paediatric liver transplants in India. It has now a vision for supporting 100 more children before the completion of the 2019 year.

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You can also Join Our TPAF Facebook Group – The Pravin Agarwal Foundation (TPAF) Support group, created to form a network of families/caregivers of children who suffer from Liver Disease. We would request to join the platform to share experiences & concerns, provide emotional & social support and encourage one another in this journey.