World Hepatitis Day is celebrated on 28 July every year to raise awareness about the disease hepatitis and how it spread. What is Hepatitis, how it is caused, how many cases are there in Leh District, what can be done to eliminate hepatitis and what are the solution. Watch this interview with Padmashree awardee Dr. Tsering Norboo, Physician. 

He informed that in Leh district , the average of remote areas (Changthang, Nubra and Zanskar) the prevalence rate is 5.7% out of 100. In Leh urban area, the prevalence rate is 2% out of 100. And in a village in Changthang, the prevalence was very high which was 13% out of 100. We did thorough research and find the mode of transmission and it was mostly through mother to child.  Later they were screened, tested and treated free of cost. Now, people are aware of the disease. 

The Tibetan community has a high prevalence, which is 11% out of 100. In few families, there are cases where 3 members are affected in the same family from cancer, cirrhosis and die due to Hepatitis B.  From this kind of incident, we need to understand the urgency of the disease. 

Another reason can be that 20- 30 years back we lacked basic health care delivery system and the region was devoid of high tech cutting edge investigative facilities. We lack awareness about the disease.