MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI DINESH TRIVEDI)
(a): Deaths are caused every year in the country due to various causes including viral Hepatitis.
There is no specific treatment for viral Hepatitis. In majority of cases, the disease is self limiting.
Usually only supportive treatment is required.
(b): The deaths reported due to viral Hepatitis during last three years are given as under:
2007 2008 2009
544 536 586 (provisional)
The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is being implemented since April 2005 to strengthen and improve
health care services in the entire country with special focus on primary health care in rural areas.
Under NRHM, primary health care services are provided through a network of sub centres, primary health
centres, community health centres and district hospitals.
Hepatitis ‘B’ and ‘C’ are major causes of viral Hepatitis which can be best prevented by use of safe blood
and blood products and by adopting and practising safe sex and safe injection practices. National Aids
Control Organisation (NACO) under Department of AIDS Control, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is
working with State Governments/Union Territories and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) to promote
blood safety and safe sex and injection practices. Besides, immunization programme against Hepatitis ‘B’
is also being carried out in some states under Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). National Centre
for Disease Control (NCDC) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is providing technical and laboratory
support for outbreak investigation and diagnosis of viral Hepatitis.
Since the main cause of Hepatitis ‘A’ and ‘E’ is consumption of contaminated water, different programmes
of Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India are being run through state governments/local bodies
to ensure supply of safe drinking water in rural and tribal areas. These programmes include:
(i) National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).
(ii) Rural Drinking Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Programme.
(iii) Jalmani Programme
