How Rohtak PGIMS detects silent hepatitis through blood donation

Blood donation camps are primarily organised to save lives to those in need of blood, but they are also serving another critical purpose of identifying people who are unknowingly living with viral hepatitis. At the PGIMS Rohtak, routine screening of donated blood detects around 80 donors every month infected with hepatitis B or C, many of whom have no symptoms and consider themselves completely healthy. The findings, shared ahead of World Hepatitis Day, underline the importance of early diagnosis in preventing serious liver disease and further transmission.Q. How are blood donation camps helping detect hidden infections?Every unit of donated blood collected at camps as well as in the PGIMS Rohtak is mandatorily screened for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, syphilis and malaria before it can be used for transfusion. According to Dr Praveen Malhotra, Senior Professor and Head of the Department of Medical Gastroenterology, nearly 80 blood donors are found infected with hepatitis B or C every month through this process. Since both viral infections often remain silent for years, these donors infected with the virus usually learn about their condition only after they are contacted by hospital authorities following routine screening.Q. Why is hepatitis often detected so late?Hepatitis B and C spread through infected blood and body fluids, contaminated needles, unsafe medical procedures, unprotected sex (particularly for hepatitis B), and from an infected mother to her baby during childbirth. The infections frequently produce no noticeable symptoms until significant liver damage has occurred. This makes routine screening crucial, as early diagnosis allows timely treatment while reducing the risk of unknowingly transmitting the virus to others, said Dr Malhotra.Q. What happens after an infected donor is identified?PGIMS officials contact infected donors by phone and immediately link them with the Department of Medical Gastroenterology for further evaluation and treatment. The department also screens family members because they may have been exposed to the infection. Around 12% of screened family members have tested positive for hepatitis B or C, enabling early treatment. Those found uninfected are offered hepatitis B vaccination to prevent future infection.Q. What makes PGIMS Rohtak a key hepatitis treatment centre?The Medical Gastroenterology Department at PGIMS is Haryana's only Model Treatment Centre under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) and has emerged as one of India's largest centres for hepatitis care. “The Centre attends to 80–100 patients daily, including 15–20 new patients, and has registered nearly 39,000 patients for treatment. The institute provides free investigations, medicines, Fibro Scan, endoscopy, specialist consultations and hospital care without any waiting period. We have also performed around 38,000 endoscopies and 49,000 Fibro Scans free of cost so far. Moreover, timely intervention for hepatitis B-infected pregnant women has prevented mother-to-child transmission in 609 new born, said Dr Malhotra of the centre.Q. What precautions should people take?Dr Malhotra advises people not to fear hepatitis but to get tested in time, as effective treatment is available. He recommends avoiding substance abuse, ensuring the use of new disposable syringes, seeking treatment only from qualified medical practitioners, getting tattoos only from authorised centres, insisting on a new blade for every shave, and ensuring hepatitis B screening during pregnancy. Prof HK Aggarwal, Vice-Chancellor of University of Health Sciences, stated PGIMS Rohtak offers comprehensive diagnostic and treatment facilities for all gastrointestinal and liver diseases, ensuring the highest standards of patient care.

How Rohtak PGIMS detects silent hepatitis through blood donation

80 blood donors are diagnosed with hepatitis per month during screening

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

How Rohtak PGIMS detects silent hepatitis through blood donation

80 blood donors are diagnosed with hepatitis per month during screening

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

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