Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Mustafa Kamal chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of the Prime Minister\u2019s Hepatitis C Elimination Programme.
\nThe meeting was attended by Professor Saeed Akhtar, Head of the National Technical Advisory Group on Hepatitis, the Additional Secretary Health, the Project Director of the Hepatitis C Programme, heads of major public hospitals, and the District Health Officer (DHO) Islamabad.
\nDuring the meeting, the Project Director briefed participants on the progress of Hepatitis C screening under the pilot phase launched in Islamabad.
\nSpeaking on the occasion, he said that the primary objective of initiating the pilot phase in Islamabad was to identify operational challenges within the system before expanding the programme nationwide.
\nHe directed the concerned authorities to resolve all identified issues and ensure that the system is fully streamlined within the next 15 days.
\nThe Minister emphasized that timely identification and treatment of Hepatitis C patients is essential to preventing further transmission of the disease. He noted that more than 10 million people in Pakistan are estimated to be living with Hepatitis C, making its elimination a national cause of utmost importance.
\n\u201cThe Prime Minister\u2019s Hepatitis C Programme is among the Government\u2019s highest priorities. Our national commitment is to make Pakistan Hepatitis-free. This is not merely a healthcare programme; it is a mission to safeguard the future of our nation,\u201d he stated.
\nMustafa Kamal highlighted that the successful implementation of the programme in Islamabad will largely depend on the active role of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the Federal Government Polyclinic Hospital.
\nHe also stressed the need to intensify public awareness campaigns so that every citizen recognizes their national responsibility and comes forward for Hepatitis C screening.
\nThe Minister reiterated that Hepatitis C is a curable disease and said its elimination requires collective efforts from the entire nation, not just the government. He underlined that early diagnosis and timely treatment can save countless lives while significantly reducing the spread of the disease.
\nAppealing to the residents of Islamabad, Mustafa Kamal urged them to actively participate in this national campaign by getting themselves tested. He assured that the Government is making comprehensive arrangements to provide free Hepatitis C screening and free treatment to all diagnosed patients.
\n\u201cThe State is committed to providing free treatment to every individual diagnosed with Hepatitis C under this programme,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Mustafa Kamal chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of the Prime Minister\u2019s Hepatitis C Elimination Programme. The meeting was attended by Professor Saeed Akhtar, Head of the National Technical Advisory Group on Hepatitis, the Additional Secretary Health, the Project Director of the Hepatitis C […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":552661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-555186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-national"],"yoast_head":"\n