Curious case of hepatitis C: Prevention scheme offers treatment, not awareness

Though funds are available, lack of managerial staff stifles implementation

PESHAWAR: A government-run project meant to hold awareness campaigns and sensitise public about hepatitis C has been instead offering treatment for the disease.

The K-P government runs the Programme for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis meant to educate the public on how to prevent falling prey to the deadly disease. However, it was found the programme was offering treatment instead of holding awareness campaigns.

Kalimullah, one of the officials taking lead on the government programme, told The Express Tribune awareness sessions were meant to be part of it. However, it was now providing treatment to patients.



“We have around 35 centres in [hospitals in] K-P and each centre has one official [from hospital staff],” Kalimullah said. “I lack the manpower to organise awareness campaigns.”

When asked, Kalimullah said there were funds available to hold awareness campaigns about the disease. “However, as I am the only one managing this programme, I find it challenging to organise these sessions on my own,” he said. He is discussing the matter with relevant officials.

Another senior health official said the initiative has turned into a treatment programme. “Not even a single step has been taken to prevent people from falling prey to hepatitis,” he added.



Contracting hepC

Experts say the sharing of syringes or razors for shaving beard, unsterilised hospital equipment and the transfusion of unscreened blood lead to the spread of the disease. Kalimullah said since the disease does not have any apparent symptoms, it is diagnosed at the last stage. “If the government starts holding awareness campaigns, people will be sensitised and the spread of the disease will be in control,” he said.

Going viral

According to the data, a copy of which is with The Express Tribune, filed by the provincial health department in 2015, 4,139 cases of hepatitis C were registered out of 200,001 people screened.

The data reads over 26,505 people were screened in Swat, of which 747 people were infected, making it the largest number of patients registered in 2015 from a single district. Some 674 people tested positive for hepatitis C out of 24,670 screened in Mansehra.

Around 524 people were carrying the virus among 20,142 screened in Mardan whereas around 358 tested positive among 16,391 screened in Nowshera. The highest number of people screened for the diseases, around 32,724, belonged to Haripur, where 315 people tested positive and the lowest number of people screened, which were over 19, belonged to Torghar.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2016.