IMA & HCFI hold public and GP awareness webcast on the myths and facts about Hepatitis

IMA & HCFI hold public and GP awareness webcast on the myths and facts about Hepatitis

New Delhi, June 09, 2016: Viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by a virus. Several different viruses, named hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses, cause viral hepatitis. These 5 types are of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread. Hepatitis can be self-limiting or can progress to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer. Aimed at raising awareness amongst the medical fraternity as well as the general public and busting common myths about Hepatitis, its causes and effects; a webcast was organized by the Indian Medical Association and Heart Care Foundation of India today. The expert faculty for the webcast consisted of Dr. Neelam Mohan, Director, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Liver Transplantation Medanta - The Medicity, Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President HCFI & Honorary Secretary General IMA & Dr VK Monga – Dean IMA CGP. Speaking about the same, Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President HCFI & Honorary Secretary General IMA said, “Hepatitis is very common in India and can be easily prevented. It is important that the medical fraternity counsels their patients about Hepatitis vaccines as well as prevention techniques. A few simple preventive steps can help save many lives. It is for this reason that we organized this webcast today on common myths and facts of Hepatitis.” Adding to this, Dr BC Roy Awardee Dr Neelam Mohan, Director, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Liver Transplantation Medanta - The Medicity said, “There are numerous myths associated with Hepatitis including the need to eat bland and boiled food, the importance of consuming sugarcane juice in excess quantities to beat the disease as well as the fact that if a person has jaundice only then can he have hepatitis. These are all misguided facts and it is important for doctors to raise awareness amongst their patients about them. It is also important that people take necessary preventive steps for the incidence of Hepatitis continues to increase in our country due to a lack of overall awareness about the importance of good personal hygiene, eating well-cooked and healthy food and importance of vaccinations and healthy sex practices.” Hepatitis A & E most common cause of acute viral hepatitis A in children E in more common in children. Both these are transmitted by the fecal-oral route. Thus, people must ensure that they do not eat contaminated food or water and maintain good personal sanitation and self-hygiene. Hepatitis E infection usually occurs as epidemics but may occur in a sporadic manner as well. Hepatitis B and C together infect 5% of the Indian population that amounts to 45-50 million people, the route of transmission is similar to HIV. Acute infection may occur with limited or no symptoms, or may include symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Getting a vaccination can prevent Hepatitis A & B. It is also important to maintain good food and hygiene, avoid sharing needles, razors and follow safe sex practices. If you are a health care or public safety worker, always follow routine barrier precautions and safely handle needles and other sharp objects. If you are pregnant, your doctor will test your blood for hepatitis B. If you are an infected mother, your baby should be given hepatitis B immune globulin (H-BIG) and the hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours after birth. If you have chronic hepatitis B, make sure your babies get all of their hepatitis B shots in the first six months of life. Common Myths and facts • Myth: People think that boiled vegetables and bland food is the right kind of food for viral hepatitis The fact is that nutrition is very important for the improvement of liver function so such bland and boiled food may not be palatable and can increase the nausea tendency • Myth: People think that sugarcane juice is very good for curing Hepatitis The fact that is while sugar cane is a good source of carbs but you also need to take other nutritious food items and not just keep consuming sugarcane juice in excess quantities • Myth: A person with hepatitis sleeps a lot The fact is that if a person sleeps excessively then it could be a marker of early encephalopaphy that is suggesting that the liver is getting into a failure state • Myth: Vaccines are available for all hepatitis Vaccines are available for Hepatitis A & E, no clinical use vaccine are available for hepatitis C & E • Myth: If you do not have jaundice you do not have hepatitis 70% of the children and 30% adults may not have jaundice with acute hepatitis infection they can just present with constitutional symptoms such as fever, vomiting, poor appetite, lethargy with high liver enzymes

Dr. K.K Aggarwal in conversation with Dr. Neelam Mohan, Pediatric Gastroenterologist on receiving the BC Roy National Award

Dr B C Roy National Awards for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010 have been announced. We will bring their profile one by one.

Part 1: Dr. K.K Aggarwal in conversation with Dr. Neelam Mohan, Pediatric Gastroenterologist on receiving the BC Roy National Award

1. How does it feel being conferred one of the most prestigious awards in the medical field?

It’s like asking an actor getting an Oscar award or film fare award; it’s really a lovely feeling. You feel good that all hard work and efforts are appreciated.

2. What was your motivation to choose an unconventional career like liver transplant, Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the 90’s?

I was keen to pursue a career in medicine that was new, different and unique. After obtaining my Post-Graduation in Pediatrics, I shortlisted three choices – Cardiology, Gastroenterology and Genetics. Cardiology was a field everyone seemed to be opting for and Genetics though an exciting field, did not involve a high degree of patient interaction. I finally opted for Gastroenterology. I was fascinated by the liver as an organ and given the lack of awareness that existed about liver diseases in the 90’s, I truly believed that I could help make a difference in the field and help save lives. I was also deeply inclined towards understanding endoscopic procedures that were beyond the purview of surgeons.

3. What were the early challenges faced by you in your career and how did you manage to overcome them?

During the 90s, there was no training program in pediatric gastroenterology in India. At best, AIIMS did good work in that field then. I worked there for more than a year. Subsequently I decided to leave for UK to learn from the masters in that domain.

Between 1997 and 1999, I obtained specialized training in Pediatric gastroenterology and liver transplantation at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital.  I vividly remember one of my senior colleagues telling me “No body dies of hard work”. I made this my motto and did double shifts as a ‘Clinical fellow’ during the day from 8 to 5pm and ‘Research fellow’ from 5:30 to 10:30 pm.

I returned to India in 1999 as an expert of liver transplants, pediatric liver and GI diseases. Finding a job was an arduous task then as no one was interested in my precise domain. But, I stood by my resolve, as I knew that the time had arrived to establish the field of gastroenterology and liver in the country. Luck was by my side, and finally, my relentless pursuit paid off when I got my first break at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH), thanks to the vision of Dr S.C. Arya (Pediatrician) and Dr. S.K Sama (Chairman SGRH).

I worked at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for over a decade and was given the opportunity to live by dream of advancing endoscopic procedures for the betterment of health care in India. I became the first doctor in the country to initiate endoscopic procedures in newborn babies. I worked not only in diagnostic but also in therapeutic endoscopy. All these tremendously boosted my confidence and morale.

4. You have taken many pioneering initiatives that have brought India at the global forefront in this domain. Please illuminate?

I humbly say that I created India’s first unit of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation division at Medanta – The Medicity under support of Dr. Naresh Trehan (Chairman & Managing Director, Medanta –The Medicity) & visionary in medical field.  I became a part of a horizontal expansion, and we expanded into various verticals besides liver transplantation and liver/ GI diseases such as motility, endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, manometry and diagnostic and curative work, making it the first such department in the country that provides comprehensive A to Z facilities for newborns, children and adolescents with Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases including the highest level of liver care that is Liver Transplantation. Today we have more than 200 successful pediatric liver transplants in India and we can claim to be at par with America and UK, for results if not better.

After being credited to be India’s first doctor to initiate curative Endoscopy in newborns and young infants, I consider myself fortunate to have given several other firsts in India and world in the field of Liver Transplantation, such as

• World’s first living related liver transplant in a baby with factor VII deficiency (2010)
• World’s youngest domino liver transplant (2009)
• South Asia’s first successful combined liver and kidney transplant from two live donors (2007)
• India’s first youngest liver transplant in 3 month old baby.(2015)
• India’s first living related liver transplant which cures a baby with Citrullinemia (2013)
• India’s first ABO-incompatible liver transplant in a child (2012)
• India’s first Robotic  donor hepatectomy in liver transplant in a child (2011)
• India’s first Swap liver transplantation (2009)
• India’s first Bloodless liver transplant (2006)
• India’s first Successful survival of liver transplant in a fulminant liver failure (2004)
• India’s first Successful pediatric cadaveric reduced liver transplant (2003)
• India’s first successful Liver Transplantation in patient with both liver and lung failure due to Hepatopulmonary syndrome (2016)

In the last decade my services to the medical profession and the community have been recognized at both National and International level and this has been quite a humbling experience for me. I have been honored with prestigious awards and accolades such as FIAP award by Indian Academy of Pediatrics and FACG by American College of Gastroenterology, SGRH Alumni Award. I have been appreciated by the medical fraternity and received the “DMA Centenary Award - 2014” given by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for my contribution in the field of child health, “ZEE Swastha Bharat Samman Award” in 2012 by the former Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. Besides these, I have been honored with the Distinguished Service Award by Indian Medical Association, and Eminent doctor of the year Award by eMedinews amongst various others.

5. What advice you give to youngsters?

Passion, dedication and personal attention are the keys to success.

I would like to sincerely thank my family (Husband, Children, in laws and Parents), patients, their parents, my team of doctors, staff and my Mentors.