I want to start with the most important silent epidemic of the society and that is hepatitis C, a global public health threat with significant morbidity and mortality. Being of asymptomatic nature, it is also a silent epidemic with an estimated 71 million infected globally, but only 20 % diagnosed. As per WHO viral hepatitis caused 1.34 million deaths in 2015, a number comparable to deaths caused by tuberculosis and higher than those caused by HIV.

The irony is that the number of deaths due to viral hepatitis are increasing over time, while mortality caused by tuberculosis and HIV is declining. But the good news is hepatitis C is curable today and it is possible to make Hepatitis Free India. Why can’t NACO take over Hepatitis B control and hepatitis C eradication also. In any way let us do our bit, next time we see a patient with hepatitis C, we must get it treated till the virus is out of the body.

Dr K K Aggarwal