More hepatitis cases emerge

At least 20 individuals test positive for hepatitis C, 5 for hepatitis B in a recent blood screening

RAWALPINDI:

At least 20 individuals have tested positive for hepatitis C and 5 for hepatitis B in a recent blood screening carried out across four union councils of the Rawalpindi district.

According to health officials, some 1,254 people underwent the blood screening drive to diagnose and address hepatitis cases. The initiative, launched on August 1, has plans to extend its reach to 100,000 residents.

The ongoing campaign, spearheaded by the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination and The Task Force for Global Health, has been conducting blood screenings among residents in union councils 10, 11, 14, and 15.

The goal is to diagnose cases of hepatitis B and C, both prevalent diseases in Pakistan.

District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Ansar Ishaq emphasised the importance of the initiative in the face of rising hepatitis cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 9^th, 2023.