Numbers of patients with cirrhosis increasing

THE number of patients with cirrhosis have increased year on year in Mandalay, one of largest cities in the country, according to U Min Lwin, assistant director of Medical Social Work Department, Mandalay General Hospital.
Cirrhosis is a serious disease of the liver caused by alcohol abuse, chronic hepatitis diseases and fatty liver disease, which is often seen in people with obesity or diabetes.
According to the yearly hospital-based statistics, the number of people suffering from cirrhosis was 1,198 in 2013, 1,536 in 2014 and 1,802 in 2015. The figures went up to about 2,000 in 2016.
“We have seen growing numbers of patients with cirrhosis within the past four years. The major cause of the problem is drinking too much alcohol,” said U Min Lwin, who urges people to reduce alcohol consumption to improve their health. Hospital statistics show that congenital heart disease is the second most common disease at the hospital after cirrhosis. The numbers of people with congenital heart disease were 1,792 in 2016, an increase of over 800 compared with 2015. However, the cases relating to accidental injuries have significantly decreased each year.—Min Htet Aung (Mandalay Sub-printing House)