Health experts in Islamabad have expressed concern over the government’s inability to obtain accurate data on hepatitis patients and to control widespread quackery, which, they claim are some of the major hurdles in controlling hepatitis.
On World Hepatitis Day, to be observed across the country on May 19 (today), they are hopeful that through awareness campaigns on the day, informed people can help steer the Prime Minister’s Program for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis in the right direction. The day is observed across the globe on varied dates to encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis.
Talking to The Express Tribune, a senior physician at a public hospital, asking not to be named, said, “Even vaccinating people against hepatitis is not a permanent solution, we need to work on its root causes.”
He expressed concern over the government’s inability to gather accurate statistical data on hepatitis patients in the country. “How can the government counter the disease if it doesn’t even know how many hepatitis patients are there in the country?”
He said that despite a large budget given to the PM’s Program for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis, the programme has been unable to control widespread quackery business from the country, let alone eliminate it.
An encounter with a quack
Sobia Bibi, a resident of Nahi area near Murree Road, said she took her younger sister, Fouzia, to a clinic adjacent her house for acute stomach ache. After examining her sister, the doctor administered her an injection. Unable to handle the pain, the girl cried forcing the doctor to stop midway.
“Now what am I to do of this remaining injection, it will go to waste,” said the doctor. Fauzia candidly replied, “Then give it to my sister.” Without hesitation, the doctor injected the remaining medicine to her elder sister Sobia. “The medicine will protect you against all types of diseases,” the doctor told Sobia.
‘About 0.6m quacks in Pakistan’
Chairperson anti-quackery committee of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), Dr Ali Farhan, said nothing pragmatic has been done against unqualified medical practitioners operating across the country due to absence of legislation.
He said that currently there are around 500,000-600,000 quacks operating in the country. He said that as most people, especially of rural/slum areas, are unable to afford treatment at proper hospitals, they turn to unqualified practitioners. He urged the government to initiate a mass awareness campaign to discourage people from getting medical treatment from unqualified medical practitioners.
Poor coverage
Pakistan Medical Research Council (PMRC) Executive Director Dr Huma Qureshi said that one of the main reasons behind the continued spread of hepatitis in the country is poor coverage, as only 50 per cent of the population has access to hepatitis vaccines. Besides this, she said that the banned multi-dose vial is still being used as a treatment to control hepatitis. She urged for national-level awareness programs to be initiated to inform people of the causes, prevention and treatment for all types of hepatitis.
A Hepatologist at Pims, Dr Waseem Khawaja said of the various types of hepatitis, hep B and C are most common in the country and the most dangerous. He said that according to Ministry of Health, nearly 12 million people are infected with either Hepatitis B or C virus every year.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 19th, 2011.
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