WHO urges action to treat over 13.8m hepatitis patients in Pakistan
Reiterates its support for Pakistan to tackle highest burden of hepatitis C globally with 10 million of the 60 million cases worldwide.
ISLAMABAD: On the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for urgent action to fight a disease that continues to silently cause liver damage and cancer in Pakistan, which bears the heaviest burden of hepatitis C globally – with 10 million of the 60 million estimated cases worldwide – and has 3.8 million people living with hepatitis B.
Only 25-30% of the people affected know it, which prevents them from receiving life-saving treatment.
Under the international theme “Let’s break it down”, WHO urges policymakers and health authorities worldwide to simplify, scale up and integrate hepatitis services into national health systems, including vaccination, safe injection practices, harm reduction, and especially testing and treatment. The goal: ending hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030.
WHO reiterates its full support for Pakistan in its efforts to fight the disease, and particularly the Prime Minister’s National Programme for the Elimination of Hepatitis C Infection. This programme aims to test 50% of the eligible population (82.5 million people aged 12 years and above) and treat 5 million people by 2027.
“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 WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Dapeng Luo.
Hepatitis B and C are preventable and treatable, but if left untreated they can lead to medical complications – including liver cancer – and death. In Pakistan, the most common modes of transmission are unsafe procedures and materials used during blood transfusions – due to unregulated private blood banks and a lack of universal screening, injections with re-used and non-sterile syringes and needles, surgical procedures, dental care, body piercing and tattooing, and shaving – including at barber shops.
Globally, chronic viral hepatitis causes 1.3 million deaths every year, mostly from liver cancer and cirrhosis. That equals 3,500 deaths every day.
WHO will continue to stand side by side with Pakistan to provide science-based guidance and support to strengthen prevention – including the vaccination of newborns against hepatitis B within 24 hours, diagnosis and treatment for all, no matter where they live or who they are.
