ISLAMABAD – Dr. Saeed Akhter, a leading Pakistani urologist and director of transplant surgery at Shifa International Hospital, visited the United Nations General Assembly, where he discussed Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate hepatitis C in the world’s fifth most populous country, home to nearly 10 million people Liver disease infections.
Dr Saeed, whose Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute has gained international renown, said Egypt, a transcontinental country, was on the verge of submitting elimination status to the World Health Organization after concerted efforts.
During his visit to the United Nations General Assembly, he interacted with senior officials including Dr. Harvey Alt, who won the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1989. He also interacted with several others who could help Pakistan in our future endeavors.
Speaking to Daily Pakistan, Dr Saeed said he highlighted Pakistan’s efforts to launch the National Hepatitis C Elimination Programme, a nationwide campaign to shed light on effective reduction of hepatitis Popular roadmaps and strategies.
Dr Saeed further mentioned that PKLI has Rs 1,500 crore in its trust fund which will help provide free treatment to the vulnerable groups in the country. He said that efforts are being made to create a strong unified national plan with a very strong AI-based IT system.
Terming the goal of eliminating hepatitis C in Pakistan by 2030 as a very achievable goal, he stressed on increasing awareness about hepatitis C and proposed a comprehensive strategy aimed at curbing its future spread.
Who is Dr Syed Akhtar?
Before returning to Pakistan, Dr. Saeed Akhter served as Chairman of the Department of Urology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas. He received training in urology and transplantation at Maimonides Medical Center, Down State University in New York, and the University of Minnesota.
He has served at Yale University and led several professional organizations, including the Pakistan Life Savers Foundation as CEO. The urologist has published dozens of papers in peer-reviewed journals and given lectures and invited lectures.
His professional memberships include the American Urological Association, the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, and the Transplantation Society. Dr. Akhter is the current President of Pakistan Transplantation Society.
In Pakistan, Dr. Saeed Akhtar envisioned setting up state-of-the-art facilities in the public domain and over the years he has done a lot to address the increasing burden of patients with liver and kidney related diseases as liver diseases are a major problem in Pakistan. More than 2 million people in Pakistan need life-saving liver transplants.