53 of 54 jail inmates test positive for hepatitis C

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 29

On the instructions of Dr Harpreet Singh Kahlon, Civil Surgeon, Health Department, Kapurthala, tests for hepatitis C for inmates of the Kapurthala jail were conducted. Senior Medical Officer Anoop Kumar said the tests of 54 prisoners were conducted, of which 53 tested positive.

They said the process for the treatment of the patients had begun.

The jail administration has been told that viral load tests of the patients will be conducted soon. After which, medicines will be issued to prisoners as per the reports of the same.

Hepatitis C programme’s District Nodal Officer Shobhna Bansal said the Health Department was serious about the health of the jail inmates.

He said this was a serious ailment of liver which needed to be treated in time.

The Health Department was conducting free treatment of the ailment at government hospitals, he said.

The treatment for the ailment takes three to six months, said Shobhna Bansal.