Islamabad: The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for urgent, nationwide action to detect and treat over 13.8 million people infected with hepatitis B and C in Pakistan, warning that the country now carries the highest burden of hepatitis C in the world.
Marking World Hepatitis Day, WHO highlighted that Pakistan accounts for 10 million of the 60 million global hepatitis C infections and 3.8 million cases of hepatitis B, yet only 25 to 30 percent of those infected are aware of their status — a gap that prevents timely, life-saving treatment.
“WHO will continue to fully support Pakistan in its journey to combat hepatitis and reinforce prevention, detection, and treatment, ensuring that we protect the most vulnerable populations to leave no one behind,” said Dr. Dapeng Luo, WHO Representative in Pakistan.
Under this year’s global theme, “Let’s break it down,” WHO is urging policymakers in Pakistan and across the world to simplify and scale up hepatitis services by integrating them into national health systems. This includes expanding vaccination coverage, promoting safe injection practices, enabling harm reduction efforts, and ensuring broad access to testing and treatment.
The agency reiterated its support for Pakistan’s ambitious Prime Minister’s National Programme for the Elimination of Hepatitis C Infection, which aims to test 50 percent of the eligible population—approximately 82.5 million people aged 12 and above—and treat 5 million people by 2027.
While hepatitis B and C are both preventable and treatable, the consequences of inaction are severe. If untreated, these infections can lead to liver cirrhosis, cancer, and death. Globally, chronic viral hepatitis is responsible for 1.3 million deaths annually—around 3,500 lives lost every day.
In Pakistan, unsafe medical and cosmetic practices are the leading causes of hepatitis transmission. These include procedures involving re-used or non-sterile syringes and needles, unregulated blood transfusions, poor infection control in surgical and dental settings, body piercing and tattooing, and even shaving at barbershops.
WHO stressed the importance of introducing hepatitis B vaccination at birth within 24 hours, expanding diagnosis services, and making treatment accessible to everyone—regardless of geography or income.
The UN health agency pledged to stand “side by side” with Pakistan, providing science-based guidance and technical support to ensure the country meets its goal of eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.