Haryana first state to treat Hepatitis-C patients with oral medicine

Chandigarh, Nov 9 (IANS) Haryana has become the first state in the country to treat Hepatitis-C patients of all categories through oral medicine, a Minister said on Thursday.

"No patient in the state would suffer from Hepatitis-C disease. For the first time, the state government has included oral medicine in government hospitals. This medicine would be provided free of cost to permanent residents of all categories at district level. This has benefitted lakhs of patients in Haryana," Health Minister Anil Vij, during a training workshop organised by the health department here, said.

The Minister said that nodal officers and monitoring officers have been deputed to ensure that Hepatitis-C patients would not suffer at any cost.

"The medicine and treatment costs about Rs 28,000 to Rs 30,000 in the market, but the state government would provide this facility free of cost," Vij said.

He said that the disease mostly spreads through infection and the blades used by barbers were also responsible for this.

Vij said that Haryana would be the first state where health screening would be done of everyone and 35 to 40 necessary tests would be conducted by visiting houses of all residents. The full record of these tests would remain with the department, he added.