July 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 18, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 21: The health ministry has reworked its failed ‘Hepatitis Control Programme’, laying greater emphasis on the curative side.

A mid-term review of the five-year Rs2.5 billion project shows that the programme has missed its targets.

According to sources in the health ministry, the revamped programme will be launched as the ‘Prime Minister’s Emergency Action on Hepatitis’ next month after its approval by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Members of the National Assembly will be involved in the programme. They will be linked with its working and monitoring.

There are about 12 million people suffering from hepatitis B & C in Pakistan.

“The review identified a number of gaps in the 2005 programme that restricted its impact on controlling the disease. Therefore, the health ministry decided to launch another programme to fight the disease which has swelled to epidemic proportions,” a health ministry official said on Monday.