Hepatitis patients in Punjab await supply of medicines

LAHORE: Patients registered under the Hepatitis Control Programme, Lahore, have been waiting for the medication to complete their course, ARY News reported on Friday.

According to details, the lives of patients registered under the Punjab Hepatitis Control Program are at risk due to lack of medicines at clinics set up across Punjab.

Hepatitis control project manager Dr Abid Gowri said the drugs were not brought by the health department as the prices quoted for them were very high.

He added that drug procurement tenders have been issued again and it is hoped that drug supply will be restored before October 15.

Read more: Pakistan reiterates commitment to eliminate hepatitis by 2030

Earlier, Pakistan’s envoy to the United States Sardar Masood Khan said Islamabad remains steadfast in its commitment to address the challenge of hepatitis and achieve the World Health Organization’s goal of global elimination of hepatitis by 2030.

Ambassador Masood Khan made the remarks while representing Pakistan at the second annual meeting of the United Nations Group of Friends on Hepatitis Elimination during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a variety of infectious viruses and non-infectious pathogens that can lead to a range of health problems, some of which can be fatal.

There are five main strains of hepatitis virus, namely A, B, C, D and E. Although they both cause liver disease, they have important differences in mode of transmission, disease severity, geographic distribution and prevention methods.

Types B and C, in particular, cause chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people and together are the most common causes of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and viral hepatitis-related death.