CONFERENCE ON HEPATITIS B Organized by SPS Apollo Hospitals

Ludhiana, February 17, 2013: The Department of Gastroenterology at SPS Apollo Hospitals under the leadership of Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Malhi, Senior Consultant and Coordinator, Department of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, organized a CME programme on Chronic Hepatitis B – Overview and Current Perspectives on Role of Peg-Interferon and HBsAg Kinetics.

The conference was inaugurated by Jugdiep Singh, Managing Director, SPS Apollo Hospitals. Also present were Dr. Deepak Bhasin, Head of Gastroenterology at PGIMER, Chandigarh, Dr. GL Avasthi, Director Medical Services, SPS Apollo Hospitals and Dr. Nirmaljeet Singh Malhi.

This one day CME was attended by over 100 medical professionals from Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Jalandhar and various other parts of Punjab.

The session was taken up by an eminent international faculty from Italy, Prof. Pietro Lampertico, Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology, University Hospital at Milan, Italy. Prof. Lampertico’s talk focused on the role of Peg-Interferon and HBsAg Kineticsas well as an overview of the treatment of chronic Hepatitis B.

The aim of this programme was to bring about awareness and advances for Hepatitis B diagnosis as well as treatment amongst the doctors and also to demonstrate the newer strategies and therapeutic modalities in combating the menace of acute and intractable chronic Hepatitis B.

The expert talk was followed by a panel discussion. The panellists in the session included Prof. Pietro Lampertico, Dr. Ajit Sood, Professor and Head of Gastroenterology at DMCH, Ludhiana and Dr. GL Avasthi, Head of Internal Medicine at SPS Apollo Hospitals, Ludhiana. The panel discussion was moderated by Dr.Nirmaljeet Singh Malhi. The panel discussion saw a wide array of topics and issues being deliberated. Dr.Nirmaljeet Singh Malhi said that Hepatitis B is a major is a major disease and affects a wide population. Due to recent advances in therapies and treatment regarding Hepatitis B it is essential to organise such information and knowledge sharing sessions.

Hepatitis (swelling of liver) is caused primarily by a group of viruses (A, B, C, D, and E) and heavy alcohol use, besides many other causes. Hepatitis B is a more dreaded form of the viruses, as it acts as a silent killer in majority. Globally, 1 out of every 12 people are infected with either Chronic Hepatitis B or C. Unfortunately, most of them are unaware of their positive status. Punjab is considered to be a leading state when it comes to incidence of Hepatitis B  and it is believed that more than 5-7 per cent of the people in the state are having the problem.