Health dept to launch fatty liver clinics

T'puram: The health department has decided to launch fatty liver clinics in district hospitals. The aim is to detect and treat liver diseases, particularly fatty liver disease, at an early stage. Given that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) silently affects a significant portion of the population, the health department is taking crucial steps.

Funds were allocated to districts by the state health department to establish these clinics. Initially, fatty liver clinics will be set up at Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam general hospitals, and Tirur district hospital in Malappuram.

In addition to existing facilities like blood testing labs and scanning, the clinics will be equipped with fibro scanning machines to assess liver stiffness. Currently, fatty liver clinics are already operational in major medical colleges.

Fatty liver is a disease that can lead to severe complications if not diagnosed and treated early. Many believe it is caused by alcohol consumption or drug abuse, but non-alcoholic fatty liver disease occurs independently of these factors. Due to the lack of significant symptoms, diagnosis is often delayed, increasing the risk of complications like liver cirrhosis or cancer. Early detection, treatment, lifestyle changes and dietary adjustments can help manage this disease, with fatty liver clinics playing a crucial role.

Fatty liver is commonly found in individuals with conditions such as obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol. Often, the disease presents no symptoms. Symptoms that may appear include yellowing of the eyes due to jaundice, sudden bleeding and changes in urine colour. Excessive fatigue and abdominal swelling are also observed.