About NGO:

National Liver Foundation (NLF) was set up in 1999 and is registered with the Charity Commissioner as a non-profit organization with aims of helping the patient with liver diseases, increase awareness about liver disease amongst the public, patients and medical fraternity and promote concept of organ donation and cadaveric liver transplant. The foundation has reputed philanthropists and eminent doctors committed to the cause of liver disease.

NFL's impact:

• 119021, blood donors during the period from July 2008 to Jan 2010 benefitted about the hepatitis B and C awareness with informative pamphlets and scrolling board messages.
• 40 social workers from 27 blood banks in the city of Mumbai benefited from multiple training session in pre and post donation counselling.
• 150 blood donors detected to be positive for hepatitis B and C benefited from appropriate guidance for treatment and spread of infection

Fund Usage:

This is the first time an systematic effort has been made in the city of Mumbai to train the social workers in the blood bank to empower them with knowledge and confidence to counsel the blood donors for Hepatitis B and C. Even though the project has ended the training imparted has resulted in donors being continued to be counseled and sent to National Liver Foundation for further guidance regarding treatment.

With the successful completion of this project similar efforts are to be initiated in different metros of the country. A lesson learnt from this project should help blood banking community in policy making regarding Hepatitis B and C counselling.

1. Medical Social Workers and doctors of the blood bank trained to counsel blood donors before and after blood donation, as regards to Hepatitis B and C.
2. Blood donors given pamphlets to read before the donations, which were self-explanatory in simple language to improve their awareness regarding Hepatitis B and C.
3. Pre and post donation counselling done in the blood bank itself.
4. Blood donors tested positive for HBsAg with HBeAg testing to look for viral replication.

Impact:

29 years old. Mrs. MN received blood transfusion in 1986 but was unaware of being infected with hepatitis C until she donated blood in 2008. She was fortunate that the she was recalled for counselling during the project Achieve and confirmatory test done to confirm that she has HCVRNA detectable in her blood.

She was fortunate to have an understanding husband who stood by her and supported her through the difficult time of the initial shock of the presence of virus and later the treatment to clear the virus with Peg IFN and Ribavarin.

However the couple was blessed not only with the virus being cleared but after the successful treatment they were even blessed with a healthy baby girl.

Page Url :
http://www.unitedwaymumbai.org/ngo107_national_liver_foundation.htm

Founded Year: 1999

Cause category: Education