Screening for Hepatitis C is underway under the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis Control Program In Islamabad; so far, 150,000 citizens have been tested.
According to officials, Hepatitis C has been confirmed in 2 to 2.5 percent of the general population, while in areas lacking healthcare facilities, the prevalence rate has been recorded as high as 6 percent.
Screening is being conducted at various government hospitals and centers, including PIMS and the Polyclinic. Individuals who test positive during the screening undergo PCR testing, after which confirmed patients are provided with free medication.
The federal government has decided to further expand the scope of Hepatitis C screening. The supply of diagnostic kits and medication has already begun in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while in the second phase, diagnostic kits will be sent to Sindh, followed by Balochistan and Punjab.
Under the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis Control Program, a target has been set to eliminate Hepatitis C from the country by 2030.
