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Laura Bueno Medina
Hepatitis C is a silent disease that occurs each year in cases of cirrhosis and liver cancer that are not accurately accounted for because the diagnosis of the viral disease is late, and not part of the public health system. general coverage.
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that attacks the person's liver. It can be acute or chronic and develop mild discomfort for weeks or can be aggressive to cause liver cancer.
Hepatitis C can take up to 30 years to develop after contact with the virus, which complicates his diagnosis because patients go to the clinic with liver damage.
The primary means of transmitting hepatitis C virus is contact with infected blood, injectable drugs, unsafe health practices, as well as transfusions of infected blood and manipulation of blood products without badyzing them. .
Given the problems posed by the hepatitis C virus, it is estimated that more than 500,000 people are infected with the virus in Mexico and only 20% with a precise diagnosis.
Dr. Enrique Wolpert, coordinator of the Coalition for the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis in Mexico, explained that this disease could be prevented by measures to eliminate the risks that expose the population to the virus, what is achieved with appropriate prevention and prevention measures. information
He also indicated that hepatitis C is curable because there are several pharmacological treatments on the market; nevertheless, it is necessary that diagnoses be made in the early stages of the disease because, when they are discovered when the person already has liver damage or has developed another disease, the treatment is less effective.
In order to generate a public policy that prevents and resolves the problem of hepatitis C, the Coalition for the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis in Mexico introduced the Program for Detection, Timely Treatment and monitoring patients with hepatitis C, which can be applied in all areas. the country and composed of 10 priority actions focused on early detection of the disease, access to new direct antivirals with a cure rate close to 100%; prevention and health promotion in the short and medium term.
In Baja California, the support group United for a better Life AC, led by dentist Miriam Castellot, has been working for 15 years to provide better treatment options for people with this disease. end of 2018 Hepatitis C is included in the National Plan for Sustainable Development 2019-2024.
As a silent epidemic, it is essential that the application of immediate attention be governed by the law, that it be appropriate and of quality for Mexican patients identified by the hepatitis C virus as well as step-by-step case identification campaigns. in the beginning
Population orientation is the almost unique way of detecting asymptomatic cases, badessing whether it meets the conditions of risk; do a blood test and, if the result is positive, confirm the presence of the virus to begin treatment, an updated test, such as pangenotypic, that offer a treatment period of eight to 12 weeks, although this depends on the degree if the virus is detected, they are the most favorable option for the patient.
As there is no vaccine to protect against the spread of hepatitis C, health authorities recommend that the general population follow preventive measures to prevent the acquisition of this viral disease.
According to data from the World Health Organization, between 60% and 70% of people diagnosed with hepatitis C develop chronic liver disease; From 5% to 20% of them develop cirrhosis and up to 5% worldwide die annually from cirrhosis or liver cancer.
In recent years, the Mexican government has committed to the World Health Organization's (WHO) goals of reducing the number of new hepatitis C infections by 90%. ; and the mortality caused by this virus, to 65% by 2030.
However, the disease is not currently part of public health programs; that is, the health sector is not allowed to give drugs to patients detected with the virus.
Finally, the doctor stated that the goal is possible if efforts are focused on the care of high-risk groups, injecting drug users who share needles and HIV-infected people, and put the focus on Focus on the respect of sanitary standards in the treatment processes of blood transfusions or blood products.
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