Chronic hepatitis C was an incurable disease that annually takes about 350,000 lives at the world level until a few years ago. Data show that about 30,000 people in BiH are currently affected by hepatitis C.
The therapeutic treatment that allows complete cure started with its application two years ago in developed countries, and it was started in BiH in the last year as well.
“Last year, thanks to the donation, we started with the first treatment. It is a therapy that includes tablets that lasts for 12 or 24 weeks. There are no side effects and patients easily tolerate it. As part of a grant to the University Clinical Center in Tuzla were cured four patients, and a total of 15 in the entire BiH,” said Prof. Dr. Nermin Salkic, sub-specialists gastroenterologist at University Clinical Center Tuzla.
After that, a revolutionary therapy of treatment of hepatitis C was continued with the funds from the Federal Solidarity Fund.
“Since September, the treatment was carried out by the funds of the Solidarity Fund of FBiH, and five more patients completed this therapy at the UCC Tuzla so far. All the patients who completed this treatment were negative when it comes to hepatitis,” stated Dr. Salkic.
It should be noted that the hepatitis C is one of the leading causes of cancer and cirrhosis of the liver, and more than 4 million people a year are diagnosed with this disease in the world.
“It is an expensive treatment, so the number of patients that will receive it for free is limited, but the results that we have achieved are 100 % when it comes to healing,” concluded Dr. Salkic.
To recall, UCC Tuzla introduced many innovations when it comes to the treatment of liver, and many diseases for which a patient had to go abroad are now treated in BiH, specifically in Tuzla. A team led by Dr. Salkic developed, among other things, methods for diagnosing liver fibrosis without biopsy, and brought a new method for the treatment of liver tumors without performing surgery for the first time in BiH.
(Source: faktor.ba)
