Kurnur: With the peak of hepatitis B and Hepatitis C virus cases, the clinical microbial wing of Nandyal Government General Hospital (GGH) has begun offering hepatitis services throughout the week, the first such initiative in Andhra Pradesh.
While most government hospitals in AP are allocated one or two days a week to treat viral hepatitis, Nandyal GGH has extended services throughout the week to ensure patients have access to greater care.
Hepatitis is usually asymptomatic in the early stages. Usually, it will only light up when serious complications (such as cirrhosis, liver failure, hepatic encephalopathy, gastrointestinal bleeding develops from esophageal varicocele or hepatocellular carcinoma). Therefore, early detection is crucial for patients.
Dr. K. Srinivas Rao, professor and president of the Department of Clinical Microbiology, Nandyal School of Medicine, said they used ELISA and immunochromatography to detect viral hepatitis. They estimated the viral load by RT-PCR.
“Our role does not end with a diagnosis. We immediately advise patients, encourage them to bring their families to test, evaluate viral load, and provide preventive measures to those who are not infected, such as vaccination,” stressed Dr. Srinivas Rao.
Globally, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HBV) is 3-4%, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is 2-3%. In India, including Andhra Pradesh, the virus rate is between 1-2%. Latest data from Nandyal region show that the prevalence of HBV is 1.90% and HCV cases are 0.17%.
According to the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program launched nationwide by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on National Hepatitis Day (July 28, 2018), the government’s goal is to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030, as part of its Sustainable Development Goals.
Nandyal GGH data show that 250 tests were positive for hepatitis B in 51,367 people tested since 2022, with the highest 138 cases reported in 2024 alone. Of the 47,805 patients tested for hepatitis C, 22 tested positive, including 13 in the past year.
Professor Srinivas Rao stressed that hospital priorities are not to warn patients who test positive, but to provide support, counseling and rehabilitation pathways. “We help them manage their situation, recommend lifestyle modifications, recommend testing for their close contacts, and provide free vaccinations,” he noted.
If the viral load cannot be detected, the patient is observed and monitored within three months. He added that if the viral load is high, prescribe antiviral drugs to patients.
