Islamabad: Health authorities on Wednesday formally launched an ambitious nationwide campaign to eliminate hepatitis C, with planners aiming to screen more than 164 million people across the country in phases and provide free treatment to millions infected with the deadly but curable disease, officials said.
The Prime Minister’s National Programme for the Elimination of Hepatitis C was soft launched from the Islamabad Capital Territory by Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal and WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Luo Dapeng, who termed the initiative a historic step towards tackling one of Pakistan’s gravest public health crises.
Under the first phase, around 1.6 million people in Islamabad Capital Territory would be screened over the next six months, while subsequent phases would gradually expand the programme nationwide with the ultimate goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030 in line with targets agreed by the World Health Assembly.
Pakistan currently bears the heaviest hepatitis C burden globally, with nearly 10 million people estimated to be infected out of approximately 50 million cases worldwide. Health officials said the country records around 110,000 new infections annually, primarily due to unsafe medical injections, contaminated blood transfusions and injection drug use.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Mustafa Kamal said the Rs67 billion programme represented one of the largest public health interventions ever undertaken in Pakistan and described the day as “historic and revolutionary” for the country’s healthcare system.
“Elimination of hepatitis C in Pakistan is not optional. We must do it. Launching this programme in Islamabad is a paradigm shift. Health is a national security issue and an economic issue,” the minister said.
He maintained that after years of discussions and planning, the government had finally initiated a practical and science based strategy to eliminate hepatitis C through mass screening, early diagnosis, free treatment and preventive interventions.
Highlighting the alarming spread of the disease, Mustafa Kamal said nearly 80 percent of hepatitis C patients in Pakistan remained unaware of their infection and continued transmitting the virus unknowingly.
“Hepatitis C is a silent killer. If not diagnosed and treated in time, it can ultimately lead to liver failure and liver cancer,” he warned, stressing that prevention remained the most effective strategy against the disease.
The health minister said Pakistan’s healthcare system needed to move away from a “sick-care” model focused mainly on treatment towards a preventive healthcare model centered on early detection and disease prevention.
Under the programme, hepatitis C screening tests and complete treatment courses lasting three to six months would be provided completely free of cost. Mustafa Kamal said a screening test that usually costs around Rs7,000 in the private sector would now be available free under the government initiative.
To ensure transparency and maximum outreach, the programme would use integration with the National Database and Registration Authority for nationwide screening and patient tracking.
Initially, 12 hepatitis C screening counters have been established at federal hospitals in Islamabad where citizens can undergo testing and receive guidance regarding treatment and follow-up care.
The programme is being implemented under the Ministry of National Health Services with technical support from the World Health Organization, which would assist Pakistan in adopting globally proven strategies and best practices for hepatitis elimination.
WHO Representative Dr Luo Dapeng said the initiative could significantly reduce deaths and new infections if implemented effectively across the country.
“The Prime Minister’s Programme is a major step towards achieving the 2030 global goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat,” he said.
According to estimates shared during the launch, the programme could prevent around 850,000 deaths and avert nearly 1.1 million new hepatitis C infections by 2050. Authorities also projected major economic gains from the initiative, saying the programme could save approximately Rs1.3 billion in treatment costs and more than Rs2 billion in hospitalization expenses over the next five years, bringing total estimated savings to around Rs3.3 billion.
Officials further estimated that by 2030, the national return on investment from the programme would reach around US$8 for every US$1 spent on hepatitis elimination efforts.
Dr Luo emphasized that while testing and treatment were essential, prevention remained the cornerstone of hepatitis elimination.
“Detecting and treating hepatitis is essential, but prevention is the key to ending the disease, including safe injections, safe blood transfusions, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and harm reduction,” he said.
Referring to Pakistan’s overburdened healthcare system, Mustafa Kamal said rapid population growth had placed immense pressure on doctors and hospitals, with physicians expected to see 30 patients often being forced to examine more than 350 patients daily.
He directed hospital administrations and healthcare workers to ensure respectful treatment and maximum facilitation for citizens visiting screening centres.
Drawing inspiration from Egypt, which successfully eliminated hepatitis C through nationwide mass screening campaigns, the health minister said Pakistan could achieve similar success through political commitment, public participation and coordinated efforts.
“If Egypt can eliminate hepatitis C, why can’t Pakistan?” he asked, urging people to undergo timely screening before the disease progressed to irreversible stages.
The launch ceremony reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening preventive healthcare systems and controlling infectious diseases that continue to place enormous pressure on Pakistan’s fragile healthcare infrastructure.
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