Pakistan to Introduce Mandatory Screening for Hepatitis, HIV Before Surgeries -

Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday declared Hepatitis C a national emergency, saying Pakistan has one of the world’s highest disease burdens, with more than 10 million people infected and around 110,000 new cases reported annually.

Speaking on World Hepatitis Day, the minister announced that the government will introduce legislation to make screening for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and other infectious diseases mandatory for patients undergoing surgeries and other invasive medical procedures. The screening programme will be expanded in phases across public and private hospitals to improve early diagnosis and disease prevention.

Kamal said the Prime Minister’s National Hepatitis C Elimination Programme aims to screen more than 164 million people nationwide through free testing, diagnosis and treatment. Patients diagnosed with Hepatitis C will receive a free three-month treatment course worth around Rs34,000, with additional treatment also provided at no cost if needed. The programme is currently being implemented in Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan before being extended nationwide.

The minister said Hepatitis C is curable if detected early, with modern antiviral medicines offering a recovery rate of more than 95 percent. He urged the public to take advantage of the government’s free screening services and reaffirmed the government’s target of making Pakistan Hepatitis-free by 2030. He also stressed the importance of disease prevention, responsible antibiotic use and strengthening primary healthcare services across the country. – ERMD