RAWALPINDI: To clear the garrison city of hepatitis B and C, the District Health Authority launched a “Local Hepatitis Elimination and Prevention Programme” with assistance from the US-based Task Force for Global Health here on Monday.

The programme will cover four high-risk union councils - UC 10 and 11 (Khyaban-i-Sir Syed) and UC 14 and 15 (Satellite Town and Saidpur Road).

Under the programme, hepatitis tests will be conducted at the doorsteps of residents and vaccination will also be administered if required and patients will be treated free of charge.

Punjab Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir inaugurated the programme at the Rawalpindi Arts Council.

Regional Director Health Dr Ansar Ishaq, District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Ejaz Ahmed, project incharge Dr Nida Ali and the deputy commissioner were present at the event.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said 15 to 20 million people were affected by hepatitis in the country and every year there were 500,000 new patients.

He said the programme had been started in the four union councils of Rawalpindi with the support of the American organisation.

He said that according to an estimate, the four union councils of Rawalpindi were declared high risk for hepatitis.

He said the jurisdiction of the programme will be extended to the entire district of Rawalpindi. The union councils will be made hepatitis free with proper vaccination and screening.

Dr Nasir said that doctors and health field workers were actually doing jihad to serve humanity and they should perform their duties with dedication.

He said 10 model vaccination centres were being set up in Rawalpindi with the support of the World Health Organisation.

the promotion of lady health workers to the next scale had been made possible. Apart from this, the process of promotion of doctors is also being accelerated.

Dr Nasir said that the health department was trying to provide modern facilities to patients in all hospitals of Punjab.

He said doctors and paramedical staff should provide treatment facilities to the patients with full sincerity and hard work, adding negligence will not be tolerated.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2023