Rawalpindi UC reports 160 hepatitis cases

Blood screening results baffle health authorities

RAWALPINDI:

At least 107 individuals have been diagnosed with hepatitis C, while 53 have been diagnosed with hepatitis B, in union council No 10 in the garrison city.

According to health authorities, the union council has a population of 26,000 people and 10,000 of them under went screening.

The Local Hepatitis Elimination and Prevention Programme is providing free testing, vaccinations, and medication to each patient to address this alarming situation.

The programme offers the most expensive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test at no cost, along with free vaccinations for hepatitis B and a three-month course of medication for hepatitis C patients, which otherwise would cost a minimum of Rs75,000, they said.

The pilot project, conducted under the Coalition and Global Health Task Force, focused on blood screening for 10,000 individuals to diagnose hepatitis B and C.

However, the results have revealed a larger concern. Out of the 10,000 people screened, 107 were diagnosed with hepatitis C and 53 with hepatitis B. If the remaining 16,000 members of the union council undergo blood testing, it is anticipated that the number of hepatitis C cases could increase to around 350, and the number of hepatitis B cases to around 200.

To address the severity of the situation, the second phase of the blood screening programme will commence on August 1, targeting 0.1 million people across four union councils in Rawalpindi including UCs No 10, 11, 14, and 15.

It is concerning that 468 individuals have refused to undergo testing for hepatitis C and B. This highlights the lack of awareness among citizens regarding these dangerous and potentially fatal diseases.

On a positive note, 2,359 individuals have received hepatitis B vaccinations, and three pregnant women have been diagnosed with hepatitis C, indicating the importance of early detection and intervention.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2023.