Citizens avail hepatitis screening

LAHORE: People of the provincial capital gathered in large numbers to avail an opportunity of free screening of hepatitis camp during the third day of a comprehensive awareness campaign on Saturday. The camp was inaugurated by Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid at the Government Mozang Hospital. Highlighting the importance of the screening camps, the minister said that around 10% of Pakistanis have been affected by liver diseases. “The government is taking effective measures to protect the lives of mothers and children.” Screening camps are providing free screening facilities to diagnose hepatitis B and C in different localities.  She added that Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme is providing free-of-cost treatment facilities to hepatitis patients. The minister briefed that a project with a budget of Rs400 million is being launched for safe disposal of government hospitals’ waste. She further said that medicines worth Rs31 billion had been purchased for public sector hospitals. She concluded that under the hepatitis control programme, 55,000 barbers have been registered throughout the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2019.