Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal today inaugurated the Hepatitis C screening initiative for officers and employees of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination by getting himself screened first, setting an example and underscoring the government’s message that the national fight against Hepatitis C begins with everyone—including those leading the effort.
Speaking on the occasion, the Federal Minister said that under Prime Minister’s programme for the elimination of Hepatitis C, the government is working to ensure screening of every person aged 12 years and above across Pakistan. He announced that screening has been made mandatory for all employees of the Ministry of Health, from the Minister and senior officers to support staff.
Letters are also being issued to all attached departments and institutions of the Ministry as well as other federal ministries, urging them to ensure Hepatitis C screening of their employees.
The Minister said Islamabad was chosen as the starting point for the nationwide initiative because the programme is intended for the entire country. Currently, 17 government screening centres are operational in Islamabad. The government is also engaging private hospitals to expand access to free screening by providing screening equipment and kits while utilizing their human resources to reach a larger number of people.
He said arrangements for screening kits and essential equipment have also been made for Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, where screening activities will commence shortly. The provinces are also progressively joining the national campaign.
The Minister further said that people deported from abroad are being screened at international airports and other key entry and exit points. The programme is planned to be further expanded over the next two to three months to cover more locations and populations.
Highlighting the programme’s digital architecture, Syed Mustafa Kamal said the entire screening system has been linked with modern digital technology. Digital tools used by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics for the national census are being leveraged, while screening information is being recorded digitally and in real time. The screening record will also be linked with NADRA data, enabling individuals’ screening information to remain accessible in the future.
The Federal Minister said an estimated 11 million people in Pakistan may be living with Hepatitis C, although the actual burden will become clearer once nationwide screening is completed. He emphasized that large-scale screening is essential given the high prevalence of Hepatitis C in Pakistan.
“Hepatitis C is a silent and potentially dangerous disease that often remains undiagnosed until it has caused serious damage,” the Minister said. He noted that untreated infection can lead to severe liver disease and ultimately liver cancer. However, he added, early diagnosis can lead to effective and complete treatment.
Syed Mustafa Kamal said the Government of Pakistan is providing Hepatitis C treatment completely free of cost, including a three-month course of medicines valued at approximately Rs. 34,000. Where medically required, a second course can also be provided, taking the total value of free medicines for an individual patient to approximately Rs. 68,000. Hepatitis C screening is also being provided free of charge.
Sharing his personal experience, the Minister said he had undergone the screening himself earlier in the day and, Alhamdulillah, his test result was negative. He urged citizens of Islamabad to make full use of the free facility by visiting their nearest screening centre with their CNIC and getting tested, a process that takes only a few minutes.
He particularly called upon parents to ensure screening of their children aged 12 years and above, as well as other family members.
The Minister emphasized that timely detection of Hepatitis C is not only vital for protecting an individual’s health but also for safeguarding families and communities from the wider impact of the disease.
“The government has made screening and treatment available free of cost; now it is the responsibility of the people to come forward and benefit from this opportunity,” Syed Mustafa Kamal said.
He appealed to the people of Islamabad to visit screening centres, get themselves tested and become part of the national effort to eliminate Hepatitis C, contributing to the vision of a healthier Pakistan.
