SGPGIMS Lucknow to provide free testing for Hepatitis B and C

With an aim to achieve country-wide eradication of Hepatitis C by 2030, Lucknow's SGPGIMS will provide free Hepatitis B and RNA testing for Hepatitis C. The Department of Hepatology here will have provisions for the tests, which will be taken care of by UP government via the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP).

With this, patients will be able to save up to ₹4,000 or more for every test. For the services at Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), the person must register themselves in the hepatology OPD.

If untreated, Hepatitis C, an infection by a virus that attacks the liver, leading to inflammation, can cause major liver damage and eventually failure of the organ. It is also a serious health concern in India, with almost 1.3 crore people affected by the disease, with about 10 lakh in Uttar Pradesh.

Launched on July 28, 2018 on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, NVHCP aims at achieving "significant reduction in the infected population, morbidity and mortality associated with Hepatitis A,B, C and E. The virus is spread by contact with contaminated blood; for example, from sharing needles or from unsterile tattoo equipment," says NVHCP.

Besides SGPGIMS, Lucknow's King George’s Medical University also has been providing free testing for Hepatitis C.