Pakistan is facing a hepatitis C epidemic, with over 10 million people infected with the virus that causes liver damage and cancer.
According to experts, the main causes of hepatitis C transmission in Pakistan are unsafe injections, blood transfusions, and invasive medical procedures that use unsterilized equipment. The virus can also spread through sharing needles, razors, or toothbrushes with an infected person, or through sexual contact.
Hepatitis C is often called the silent killer, because it can remain undetected for years without causing any symptoms, until it leads to serious complications such as cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 400,000 people die from hepatitis C-related illnesses every year worldwide. To tackle this public health crisis, the government of Pakistan has announced a new ambitious plan to eliminate hepatitis B and C infections by 2030.
The plan aims to provide leadership and coordination to provincial programmes in scaling up hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment services. The government has also launched new national policies for injection safety, safe blood transfusion, and infection control guidelines.
The implementation of these policies will be overseen by a newly created National Task Force of the Ministry of Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC).
The government has also partnered with the WHO, the Aga Khan University, and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the severity of hepatitis infections and the importance of early diagnosis and preventive measures.
On the occasion of World Hepatitis Day 2019, President Dr Arif Alvi expressed his support for the Prime Minister’s initiative and urged all individuals to get tested for hepatitis. He also called for partnerships and collaboration among global, regional and local partners to invest in eliminating hepatitis in Pakistan.