THATTA, April 7: Repeated use of syringes and unscreened blood, growing quackery and lack of awareness, particularly among rural masses, are causing the spread of hepatitis-B and C in Sindh. This was said by Sindh health additional secretary Dr Iqbal Ahmed Daudpoto while talking to this correspondent here on Wednesday.

Claiming that every seventh person in Sindh was affected by hepatitis-B or C, he suggested mass awareness programme and stern action against doctors repeatedly using a syringe and transfusing unscreened blood to overcome the situation.

He said that a foolproof vigilance network was required at district level to check such malpractice, including sale of medicines of inferior quality. He admitted a shortage of anti-snake venom in hospitals and said that the government had already been moved on the issue.

Dr Daudpoto said that a proposal of increasing salaries and allowances of doctors working in government healthcare facilities was in the doldrums.

PROCESSION: To motivate patents to admit their children to primary schools, the National Commission for Human Development, in collaboration with some NGOs and local bodies, organized a big procession in Mirpur Bathoro on Wednesday.

Participants, holding placards and banners, inscribed with different slogans, marched through the main bazaar and gathered at Pirbhat Media Centre where speeches were delivered.

Aslam Khairpuri, Munir Memon, Ghulam Nabi Zaur, Shafi Memon and others said that 3,082 boys and 3,966 girls were enrolled in primary schools in Mirpur Bathoro taluka, having a population of 150,207 people, and 10,594 children were not enrolled.