CM Manik Saha champions hepatitis-free Tripura at Agartala event
Synopsis
On World Hepatitis Day, July 28 2026, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha addressed a state-level awareness event in Agartala, urging citizens to fight stigma, adopt healthy lifestyles, and work collectively toward a hepatitis-free Tripura.
Key Takeaways
Manik Saha attended and addressed the World Hepatitis Day event on July 28, 2026 at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan, Agartala .
He called hepatitis a major public health challenge that can be controlled through awareness, timely prevention, and proper treatment.
The CM specifically urged dismantling social stigma and misconceptions around hepatitis that deter people from seeking help.
He set a public goal of building a 'hepatitis-free Tripura' through collective community effort.
The event aligns with India's National Health Mission framework, which supports state-level communicable disease awareness drives.
Viral hepatitis still claims lives quietly — and on World Hepatitis Day, July 28, 2026, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha stepped into that silence with a public call to action, addressing a state-level awareness event at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan in Agartala on Tuesday evening.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Saha framed hepatitis not merely as a medical problem but as a social one. 'আসুন, সুস্থ জীবনযাপনকে উৎসাহিত করি' — 'Let us promote healthy living,' he urged, calling on citizens to shed the stigma and misinformation that still surround the disease. His message was direct: awareness, timely prevention, and proper treatment can stop hepatitis in its tracks and save countless lives.
Why Agartala, why now
World Hepatitis Day is observed every July 28 as a global call to accelerate action against viral hepatitis — a disease family that includes hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, with B and C responsible for the bulk of chronic illness and liver-cancer deaths worldwide. Indian state governments routinely anchor local campaigns to this date, channelling messaging through the National Health Mission framework. For Tripura, a northeastern state with a historically underserved public health infrastructure, such drives carry added weight.
Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan, Agartala's prominent cultural auditorium, served as the backdrop — a deliberate choice that signals the event was aimed at a broad public audience, not just health professionals.
Stigma as the hidden barrier
Dr. Saha's emphasis on dismantling 'সামাজিক কুসংস্কার ও ভ্রান্ত ধারণা' — 'social prejudice and misconceptions' — points to a challenge that health workers across India know well. Fear of discrimination often deters people from getting tested, breaking the chain of early detection that makes hepatitis B and C treatable and, in many cases, curable. His call for a 'hepatitis-free Tripura' sets a benchmark the state health department will now be expected to pursue.
The collective push Dr. Saha is asking for
The Chief Minister's closing appeal was framed as a collective responsibility: build a healthy, aware society through united effort. That language mirrors the broader public health strategy under which state governments run screening camps, vaccination drives for hepatitis B, and community outreach — tools that will determine whether Monday evening's words translate into measurable outcomes in the weeks ahead.
The real test comes next: whether Tripura's health department follows the event with concrete screening or vaccination initiatives that reach beyond the auditorium walls.
Point of View
Similar to polio-free and TB-free campaigns. The emphasis on stigma-busting is notable: it signals that the administration sees social barriers, not just medical access, as the primary obstacle. Whether the event seeds a structured follow-up programme will determine its lasting public health value.
NationPress
28 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is World Hepatitis Day observed?
World Hepatitis Day is observed every year on July 28 to raise global awareness about viral hepatitis prevention, testing, and treatment.
What did Tripura CM Manik Saha say on World Hepatitis Day 2026?
Dr. Manik Saha called for a hepatitis-free Tripura, urging citizens to promote healthy living, eliminate social stigma around hepatitis, and use awareness, prevention, and proper treatment to save lives.
Where was the World Hepatitis Day event held in Agartala?
The state-level event was held at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan , a prominent cultural auditorium in Agartala , the capital of Tripura.
What is the National Health Mission's role in hepatitis awareness in India?
The National Health Mission supports state governments in running communicable disease awareness and prevention drives, including hepatitis screening camps and hepatitis B vaccination programmes, especially in underserved regions like Northeast India.
How can hepatitis be prevented?
Hepatitis can be prevented through vaccination (especially for hepatitis B), safe food and water practices, avoiding shared needles, and regular screening for early detection — all of which Dr. Saha highlighted at the Agartala event.
