In a proactive move against Hepatitis B and C, the District Health Authority has identified 418 patients since the beginning of August. The authority, in collaboration with the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, had initiated a Hepatitis-free program for spreading awareness and taking actions to curb the spread of these diseases.

Dr. Anser Ishaq, the Director of Health, disclosed that during the past 26 days, 99 cases of Hepatitis B and 319 cases of Hepatitis C were detected. In addition, a significant step was taken by vaccinating 2,679 individuals against Hepatitis B. As part of the program’s commitment, treatment for patients testing positive was promptly initiated, and this cost-free medical aid continued for three months.

The initiative, first launched in Khayaban-i-Sir Syed and subsequently extended to other union councils on 1 August, utilized 20 trained teams to conduct door-to-door visits and collect blood samples for testing. Furthermore, the teams will administer the second dose of Hepatitis-C vaccination starting Monday, accompanied by liver function tests to gauge patients’ liver conditions and determine the most appropriate course of treatment.

With Pakistan grappling with the second-highest global prevalence of viral hepatitis, estimates suggest that around five million people are afflicted by Hepatitis-B and ten million with Hepatitis-C. The increasing number of cases each year underscores the nation’s urgent need for enhanced resources dedicated to the prevention, testing, and treatment of these pervasive viruses.

Source: Pro Pakistani