PM expresses national resolve to eliminate hepatitis

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif while reaffirming commitment to eliminating hepatitis, said ensuring equitable access for every citizen to quality screening, diagnosis and treatment services for the prevention and control of the most severe and life-threatening forms of hepatitis remained one of the government's foremost priorities.

In a message on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day being observed on July 28, he said, Pakistan joined the international community in reaffirming its unwavering commitment to eliminating hepatitis and protecting its people from the devastating disease.

He said the federal government remained committed to making the best possible use of available resources while further strengthening collaboration with provincial governments, development partners, healthcare professionals and the private sector to minimize the impact of this disease and ensure that no deserving patient was deprived of treatment.

The prime minister further observed that success in the fight against hepatitis and other communicable diseases required not only the government's efforts but also the active participation of every individual and the wider community, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

He urged all Pakistanis to undergo timely Hepatitis C screening, encourage their family members, friends and colleagues to get tested, and adopt safe healthcare and hygiene practices that help prevent the spread of infection. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment saved lives.

Commending doctors, nurses, laboratory professionals and frontline healthcare workers, he said they were at the forefront of this national effort to prevent and combat disease, adding their dedication and service deserved the highest appreciation.

The prime minister urged them to continue setting exemplary standards of professional excellence, commitment and compassion in the discharge of their duties.

“On this World Hepatitis Day, let us renew our pledge to build a healthier Pakistan. I am confident that through collective efforts, close cooperation, scientific innovation, public participation and the blessings of Almighty Allah, we will achieve our national commitment and global goal of eliminating Hepatitis C as a major public health threat by 2030, Insha'Allah,” he added.

The prime minister opined that Pakistan remained among the countries with the highest burden of Hepatitis C and had been confronting this serious public health challenge for decades.

He further said recognising that Hepatitis C was both preventable and curable, the Government of Pakistan launched the Prime Minister's National Programme for the Elimination of Hepatitis C Infection in 2025.

“This historic and unprecedented initiative aims to provide millions of Pakistanis with free and timely screening, confirmatory testing and effective treatment,” he added.

He said under this Programme's implementation, screening, diagnostic and treatment services had already commenced in Islamabad, with all major public healthcare facilities and hospitals actively participating, adding furthermore, mobile screening had also been launched to ensure these essential services reach communities more effectively.

Individuals requiring further diagnostic evaluation and treatment were being enrolled in the Programme without any financial burden.

To curb the spread of this deadly disease, the prime minister said the government had imposed a complete ban on the manufacture, distribution and reuse of substandard syringes.

In this regard, strict directives had been issued to ensure compliance with infection prevention and hygiene protocols in hospitals and healthcare facilities while accountability had been strengthened for any negligence in their implementation, he added.