According to health experts, viral hepatitis seems to be one of the major health concerns in Pakistan that has been severely overlooked. Currently the daily death toll is above 300, which is more than the deaths caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In the year 2019 alone, 5 and 10 million people were affected by hepatitis B and C respectively, as per a report by WHO. Recently, the gastroenterologists have reported that more than 15 million people in the country have been infected with hepatitis B and C without even being aware of their disease, while transmitting the virus onto others.
Despite Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ambitious plan to eradicate viral hepatitis B and C by the year 2030, the disease continues to wreak havoc in the country. The current government has shared their intention to improve the healthcare system of Pakistan on several occasions, however, lack of prevention and resources allocated to the treatment of infectious diseases, unsafe injections, poor sterilization of medical devices and faulty medical practices remains a serious obstacle towards eliminating such diseases anytime soon. A scarcity of trained medical professionals is another reason behind the overall worsening health conditions in the country.
Though provincial hepatitis prevention and control programs have been implemented for the treatment of hepatitis, collective efforts by the center and provinces are required to handle the growing health challenges in an effective manner. There is a dire need to improve the screening of the virus along with educating the masses about the severity of the disease. Massive awareness campaigns regarding proper hygiene and safe health practices seem yet another plausible solution in the current scenario. Resources should be directed towards building capacity among the medical staff while following a zero-tolerance policy for those following unsafe medical practices. Adequate and timely treatment must be ensured to anyone infected.
Nayab Iqbal
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, August 5th, 2020.
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