Hepatitis awareness walkathon

The Government Medical College here organised a walkathon for hepatitis awareness and prevention on Sunday on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day. Additional Director-General of Police R. Sreelekha flagged off the event. K.M. Chandrashekar, Vice-Chairman of Kerala State Planning Board, was the chief guest. At the end of the walkathon, over 300 students and members of the general public were screened for hepatitis virus infection. Approximately one in 12 persons worldwide – or some 500 million people – is a chronic viral hepatitis patient. In India, about 2.5 lakh people die of viral hepatitis every year.