Federal Minister for
National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar said Pakistan has one of the highest
burden of disease with regard to Hepatitis B and C in the EMRO region, there
was a need to have in place a consensus National Strategic framework to
control the spread of the disease. According to National Hepatitis Survey done in
2008, Pakistan has about 12 million people suffering from hepatitis B or C.
Within the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Pakistan and Egypt bear 80 percent of
hepatitis disease burden while addressing the launching National Hepatitis
Strategic Framework today in Islamabad.
She said role of my
Ministry at the federal level is policy formulation, regulatory and
coordinating with stakeholders and Provinces. As a policy we realized that
Pakistan also needs to align its steps towards disease elimination therefore we
asked the international experts to guide us as to which steps should we take to
achieve disease elimination by 2030.
Secondly to ensure safe
blood transfusion and the third is to ensure strict adherence to infection
control practices in the health care facilities. Finally, we must encourage
people to get tested and treat those who are infected.
The Health Minister shared
that her Ministry undertook some tangible steps for the effective prevention
and control of hepatitis in the country i.e. conducted the first countrywide
National Hepatitis Survey in 2008, the Technical Advisory Group on hepatitis
was constituted. This body guides the Federal government and Provincial
hepatitis programs on way forward to achieve disease control. On the advice of
Technical Advisory Group, our government introduced the new oral hepatitis
drugs in the country and negotiated with the pharmaceutical companies to bring
the cost down. I am very happy to announce that globally we have the cheapest
hepatitis drugs available in Pakistan.
Minister said during my
tenure, the Technical Advisory Group also developed new hepatitis C treatment
guidelines, which have been handed over to the Provinces for use.
Minister said the role of
the Provinces will be of critical importance in implementing the strategic
framework on ground as the real test will be the results achieved in terms of
decline in hepatitis prevalence and incidence in the country. I pledge all out
support to the Provincial Governments in undertaking this task.
Minister thanked CDC, WHO,
TAG members and all the partners for their technical support and assistance in
the prevention and control of hepatitis in Pakistan.
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