World Hepatitis Day today : 10m hepatitis patients in Pakistan

[LahoreEstate]

By Mahtab Bashir

ISLAMABAD: The number of hepatitis patients in Pakistan has swelled to over 10 million, an official of the Ministry for Health told Daily Times on Monday, citing official data.

He said only 2,644 hepatitis B and 22,780 hepatitis C patients were being treated under Rs 2.594 billion Prime Minister Programme for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis 2005-2010.

This is the situation in Pakistan while the world is observing World Hepatitis Day today (Tuesday).

Other sources said hepatitis patients got only vaccination treatment under the programme instead of their proper medical treatment. “Because of lack of funds, the ministry is helpless and it is not in a position to eliminate this deadly disease,” they said.

Dr Waseem Khawaja, of PIMS, said there were five major types of hepatitis. “Three percent of total emergency patients are suffering from hepatitis,” he said. He said hepatitis could be cured by precautions.

He said 27,000 hepatitis patients had been treated under Prime Minister Programme for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis at PIMS. He said hepatitis C was 90 percent curable if treatment on time.

Health Ministry Director General Dr Abdul Rasheed Jumma said vaccination was widely used for hepatitis treatment all over the world. “Preventive measures are a must to stop the disease,” Jumma said adding hepatitis had been controlled in Spain and Greece by making people aware not to apply used injections and take other precautions.

CDA Directorate of Health Services is arranging a symposium today (Tuesday) for creating awareness about hepatitis. CDA Chairman Tariq Mehmood Khan will be the chief guest on this occasion.

Various other programmes are also arranged to observe World Hepatitis Day.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg11_4