VEHARI: The Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI), Vehari centre, has failed to provide free medicines to Hepatitis C patients in the last six months.

Up to 7,000 Hepatitis-C patients are registered with the centre to get free treatment at the centre established on the Vehari District Headquarters Hospital premises.

Former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif had inaugurated the Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment Centre at the PKLI in Vehari on May 4, 2018.

According to Dr Talha, in charge of the centre, hepatitis vaccine and medicines are not available in the centre. He says the centre only provides blood screening, not treatment. The shortage of funds is the main cause of the unavailability of the medicines.

An official of the centre said that over 2,000 applications by Hepatitis C patients are pending notification for approval. He said that dozens of patients visited the centre daily for medicines.

Sources said the majority of patients were poor, who could not afford private treatment.

Dr Talha told Dawn that they repeatedly brought the situation into the notice of the provincial health department for the early provision of vaccines and medicines but in vain. He said the unchecked sale and usage of contaminated and unhygienic food items were one of the major causes of spread of hepatitis among the people. He said that most of the hepatitis patients were ageed between 24 to 35 years, while married women and children were also falling prey to the disease in rural areas.

Registered patients have demanded that Chief Minister Usman Buzdar ensure the early availability of these medicines so that they could continue their treatment.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2018