Cuttack: City-based Kalinga Gastroenterology Foundation has urged for utilisation of Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) centres in the state for patients suffering from Hepatitis B, which is the leading cause of various life-threatening liver-related diseases, including cirrhosis and cancer.

The foundation raised the issue at an event organized to observe World Hepatitis Day here at Pramod Convention on Saturday.

According to experts, once contracted, the Hepatitis B virus causes inflammation, leading to various chronic liver diseases. No symptoms are seen in some people and at times, the problem is revealed through a flu-like illness.

ART constitutes drugs administered to HIV infected individuals at a stage when they have advanced immune suppression. ART suppresses viral replication.

There are ten ART centres in the state. Three are functioning at the three medical college hospitals in Cuttack, Burla and Berhampur and the facility is available at the district headquarter hospitals at Koraput, Balasore, Angul, Balangir, Capital Hospital, Rourkela general hospital and Sub-Divisional Hospital at Bhanjanagar.

Drugs for AIDs patients are available at the ART centres.

Foundation chairman and gastroenterologist S.P Singh said: "The ART Centre for HIV should be utilised better and hepatitis patients should be provided free investigations and medicines at these state-run clinic."

"The facility should be made free for all, not just BPL patients, since Hepatitis B treatment relegates the middle class patient to the below poverty level," Singh said.