Liver Foundation, West Bengal is coordinating a first of its kind collaboration among public health facilities to assess the impact of liver disease and in particular hepatitis C on Indian healthcare system, the organization has announced.

The project, launched early this year is supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation (BMSF) Delivering Hope Programme through a grant of about Rs 1.95 crore (US$ 415857) also aims improve diagnosis skills for 500 blood bank & laboratory technicians while enhancing prevention efforts among high risk groups.

"WHO estimates that it cost between one and three US dollars to prevent hepatitis B through vaccination but we know it costs about US$ 5000 to treat a person with hepatitis B infection. For hepatitis C, there is no vaccine but it is curable and therefore awareness and prevention efforts should be paired with early detection, hence our training of laboratory technicians," West Bengal Liver Foundation secretary Dr Abhijit Chowdhury told a press conference here on Wednesday.

BMSF Delivering Hope has committed an amount of about Rs 10.5 crore (US$ 2,223,000) to eight non-profit organizations partners across India since 2007. In the year 2010, BMSF would support 'Americares India Foundation' in Mumbai, 'Baptist Christian Hospital' in Tezpur in addition to HCV: The Indian Face and Action to enhance awareness on hepatitis in the country. Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata has taken an endeavour to assess the impact of the intervention conducted by Liver foundation, West Bengal which has been also supported by BMSF.

"The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation has a long track record of harnessing expert resources and community support to bring measurable advances in the response to public health threats such as hepatitis and HIV around the world." said John Damonti, president, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. The project aims to determine the footfall in hospitals due to liver diseases and also map the healthcare resource utilization patterns in liver diseases in India. Initiatives will be undertaken to spread awareness on HCV prevention and care through action targeted at key risk populations.