KARACHI: Inspired by its success to treat 90 per cent of the hepatitis C patients during the past five years in their journey to eliminate the disease completely within a few years, health scientists and medical experts in Pakistan on Saturday announced to join hands with Egypt where they would send the country’s young healthcare professionals for the training of advanced gastroenterology and other procedures of digestive system as well as management and treatment of liver cancer.

The announcement came at the 4th Annual Conference of Pak GI and Liver Disease Society (PGLDS) where the experts from Egypt shared experience of the country of successfully managing to treat hepatitis C patients and offered to train Pakistani professionals in controlling the viral hepatitis and training youngsters in the area of advanced endoscopy and treatment of liver diseases.

“Egypt has successfully treated 90pc of its hepatitis patients and now we are working on prevention of new infections as well as reinfections to occur,” leading Egyptian gastroenterologist Prof Essam Bedewy told the conference at a local hotel. “Our government conducted mass screening free of charge and provided free medicines. We can help Pakistan controlling the menace of viral hepatitis, training of their healthcare professionals and capacity building.”

PGLDS president Dr Lubna Kamani said Pakistani physicians and students would be sent to Egyptian institutions for the training as her society was working hard to promote culture of research and training in the field of gastroenterology.

“For training opportunities, PGLDS is signing a deal with Egyptian Society of Gastroenterology for training of young healthcare professionals in the field of advanced endoscopy and other latest procedures,” said Dr Kamani.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2022