Hepatitis C outbreak

Around 10 million people — 0.5% of the entire population of South Asia are identified to be patients of Hepatitis C in just the first half of 2017, according to WHO estimates. Of which Pakistan has the highest number of cases in the world — only second to Egypt — with eight million of its population suffering from the ailment. In fact, more recently, at least 50,000 patients have been diagnosed with the disease in Punjab alone.

Hepatitis C, also known as the silent killer, is spread through a lack of precautionary measures, unprotected and unsafe sharing of virus infected instruments. The contagious endemic of Hepatitis C is also transfused through contact of infected bodily fluids and blood. Socioeconomic factors also play a pivotal role in the spread of the disease; these include the use of unsterilised syringes, needles and instruments at dental and grooming facilities, such as barber shops that are available at every nook of the country.Hepatitis C

However, owing to the gravity of the issue, the Punjab government has taken numerous measures and on an extensive scale. It has adopted the policy to ensure that 90% of the syringes used at public health facilities are auto-disabled syringes. Nonetheless, to control the spread of the disease from its root cause, it is important to spread awareness about the importance of using sterilised instruments and develop strong mechanism to identify and tackle the use of unsterilised equipment, and the safe disposal of the wastage, particularly at government hospitals and public health facilities.

A three-pronged strategy should be implemented: tackling the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Transfusion of screened and tested blood in blood banks should also be ensured. But most importantly, awareness campaigns on the community level are significant. They should be coupled with easy accessibility to diagnosis and treatment facilities through government authorised doctors and medical facilities, especially in slums that house the majority of the affected population. Actions should be taken before more people fall prey to the disease.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2017.

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