August 18, 2022

August 1, 2022 Cancer Center of Excellence Phrapokklao Hospital Chanthaburi Province Organize a press conference”Mission to conquer liver diseaseto raise awareness regarding liver disease in terms of incidence, risk, prevention, screening and treatment, and to launch a pilot program EZ Liver Clinic or Easy Liver Clinic to increase access to treatment quickly at the Center of Excellence for Cancer. Phrapokklao Hospital Chanthaburi Province This project is part of the liver disease conquest mission that helps people understand the risk factors. that cause liver disease and enter the process of screening and treatment in a timely manner

project EZ Liver Clinic It originated from the brainstorming of both government and private agencies involved in health care of the Thai people under the name of the LEAP project or Liver Ecosystem Advancement Program, which consists of National Health Security Office or NHSO. Multidisciplinary medical personnel, including gastroenterologists and hepatologists, oncologists, and hepatologists pancreas and biliary tract, vascular radiologists and radiologists, including Roche Diagnostics (Thailand) and Roche Thailand, all of whom have the intention and commitment to work together to help Thai people have access to effective screening and treatment in a timely manner. This will lead to a better quality of life and a higher chance of being cured from the disease.

The commitment of LEAP It is also in line with the World Hepatitis Alliance campaigning on World Hepatitis day, which falls on July 28 every year, with the theme “Hepatitis Can’t Wait” so that Patients with hepatitis B and C all over the world including in Thailand Don’t be impatient or wait until the symptoms progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer. because if the patient is diagnosed and treated promptly would increase the chances of being cured and having a long life

It is estimated that up to 2.2 million Thai people are carriers of the disease. Hepatitis B Another 3-800,000 people are carriers of hepatitis C. which most often show no symptoms But it can be transmitted to others through blood contact. intercourse and from mother to son When the hepatitis virus enters the body for a while The body will begin to build up immunity to fight infection. And cause inflammation of the liver. Therefore, blood tests to check the surface of the virus and the level of immunity. This allows physicians to assess the stage of disease that may be an indication for initiating oral antiviral hepatitis. In addition, some patients may have liver fibrosis or cirrhosis. Therefore, an ultrasound examination should be performed along with a blood test for liver cancer markers every 6 months.

An image showing the pathogenesis of liver cancer. from viral hepatitis and cirrhosis

Recognizing the importance of screening and early access to treatment pilot project EZ Liver Clinic at the Cancer Center of Excellence Phrapokklao Hospital Chanthaburi Province therefore inviting people over 30 years old in Chanthaburi Register for a blood test free of charge

• Chanthaburi people living in Mueang District You can get a blood test at Cancer Center Building, 2nd Floor, Phra Pok Klao Hospital, every Friday from 8.30-16.00 from Friday 22 July to 30 September 2022 (target 2,000 cases).
• Chanthaburi people living in other districts can get blood drawn at the Tambon Health Promoting Hospital (PSU) or a hospital near your home from August 1, 2022, until the test kits run out (target 10,000).

Prof. Dr. Phisit Tangkitvanich, MD. President of the Thai Association for the Study of the Liver: THASL said that most of the causes of liver cancer in Thai people come from infection. Hepatitis B and C Therefore, cooperation from all sectors in the establishment of various projects related to prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment to cover the population thoroughly and equally Therefore, it is considered an important agenda and is very beneficial to the development of the health care system in Thailand.

Dr. Thiraphong Tunak, MD. Director of Phrapokklao Hospital Chanthaburi Province said that in the past, patients have been detected. liver cancer New cases caused by hepatitis B or C infection In Chanthaburi province, regarding 100 people a year and more than 75% are found in the invasive phase. which can not be cured, so if the people at risk Especially those over the age of 30 who came to draw blood and found that they were infected. It can begin to enter the treatment process from the cause of liver cancer. or if found to have liver cancer Early treatment gives patients the opportunity to be cured. EZ Liver Clinic The goal is to shorten the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B, cirrhosis from 4 months to 4 weeks and liver cancer. To reduce the period from 6 months to only 6 weeks because if you know quickly and treat quickly, there will be a chance to be cured.

However Dr. Apirak Phisuthaarporn, MD. public health doctor Chanthaburi Province thanked all parties both public and private sectors Together to make this project happen since 1992, Thailand has started a policy to vaccinate the people with hepatitis. Makes the statistics of infected people much less. However, the worrying group is People aged 30 years and over, who may be a group with latent hepatitis in the blood because it is not yet available for hepatitis B vaccination in all newborns. Only in Chanthaburi There are 344,038 people aged 30 years and over who may not have been vaccinated, and it is estimated that there is a 15% chance of detecting the infection, or 51,605 people. Therefore, in Phase 1, the EZ Liver Clinic project can be Receive support for 12,000 test kits from the Center of Specialization in Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Faculty of Medicine 10,000 copies from Chulalongkorn University and 2,000 from Roche Diagnostics (Thailand) are the starting points that help support the work of medical personnel to discover regarding 1,800 patients with hepatitis. Sick, the opportunity to enter the treatment path, therefore, would like to publicize the people in the area of ​​Chanthaburi province who are over the age of 30 to undergo blood testing for screening. free of charge at community hospitals and sub-district health promotion hospitals (Public Hospital) near home to assess the risks and find a place where screening can be performed

pilot project EZ Liver Clinic It has also received cooperation from the private sector, Roche Diagnostics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Roche Thailand Co., Ltd. to help medical personnel to screen for risks. and monitor liver cancer In line with LEAP’s goal of trying to increase the cure rate. and the chance of survival for the patient

Mr. Pichetphong Srisuwankul Managing Director of Roche Diagnostics (Thailand) Co., Ltd. said Roche It’s a great pleasure to be a part of this event. to start a project for screening for at-risk groups Hepatitis B which is the main cause of the disease liver cancer including screening for liver cancer patients in high-risk groups It is undeniable that the diagnosis of liver disease patients is important. More access to diagnostics And the faster the screening innovation is, the faster the patient can access treatment. and also to improve the quality of life of patients as well

Mr Farid Bidgoli General Manager of Roche Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos said Roche Committed to working with various agencies involved under the project LEAP To drive and enhance the path of care for liver disease and liver cancer patients in Thailand for the project EZ Liver Clinic We take great pride in helping patients who may still lack awareness of the disease. have the opportunity to undergo screening and treatment in a timely manner Roche hopes that in the future the incidence of liver disease in Thailand will be significantly reduced. Liver cancer patients have a longer survival rate and better quality of life.