Govt announces drive to fight hepatitis

As the international community observed World Hepatitis Day on Sunday, the leaders called for united efforts to raise awareness and work towards a hepatitis-free future.

"On this World Hepatitis Day, let us stand united in our efforts to raise awareness, support those affected by viral hepatitis, and work towards a future free from the burden of this disease. Together, we can make a difference and build a healthier and more prosperous nation," Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in his message to the nation on the Day.

The premier said the government stood firm in its dedication to overcome the challenges posed by hepatitis.

"I am pleased to announce a nationwide campaign aimed at eradicating Hepatitis C. As a part of this noble endeavor, our focus will be on decentralizing testing and treatment centers, ensuring that the services provided are tailored to the needs of our citizens, in alignment with the global strategy," he said.

The prime minister reassured that every citizen would have free access to screening and treatment facilities for Hepatitis C.

"We have done it before and we will do it again. The core objective remains to uplift the health and well-being of those afflicted with HCV, while simultaneously reducing the detrimental impact it has on work productivity, preventing liver cancer, and averting premature death," he added.

The premier noted that the Day was dedicated to raising awareness about hepatitis and its impact on individuals and communities worldwide.

He said this year's theme "It's time for action" was a reminder for urgent actions to prevent, diagnose, and treat hepatitis and emphasised necessary actions to help eliminate the disease and ensure a healthier future for all.

"Pakistan has a very high burden of Hepatitis C infection, having 10 million infected cases, out of 60 million hepatitis C cases globally. Our country is facing an epidemic of Hepatitis C and it is feared that we may also see an epidemic of liver cancer if necessary actions to prevent and eliminate Viral Hepatitis are not taken," he warned.

Separately, President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday called for carrying out awareness and large-scale screening for timely diagnosis of hepatitis to reduce the burden on the healthcare system and rid the country of the disease.

The president, in a message to the nation on World Hepatitis Day, maintained that hepatitis, being a silent killer, was a great challenge for the world because the lack of symptoms increased the risk of its spread, thus leading to a huge number of deaths globally.

He noted that Pakistan's public health sector faced serious threats from the disease as a huge number of patients put a serious burden on the healthcare system.