KARACHI: Highlighting key achievements of a large-scale Hepatitis C elimination project, speakers at a programme held at a local hotel on Tuesday shared that out of the one million people screened under the pioneering public-private initiative, a total of 7,500 individuals were tested positive and provided antiviral therapy in Qambar-Shahdadkot and Keamari.

Held in connection with World Hepatitis Day — which is observed every year on July 28th — the event brought together officials from the health department, healthcare professionals, representatives of the Nigahban Foundation (NF) and Roche Diagnostics Pakistan.

It was launched as a pilot project by the NF, a non-profit organisation committed to social change by empowering local communities, in collaboration with the health department and other partners, in one taluka of district Qambar-Shahdadkot and later expanded to the whole of the district and Keamari town in Karachi.

The speakers shared that 99 per cent of the total population in the selected areas were provided free diagnostic tests followed by free antiviral treatment to over 7,500 patients and training to over 1,300 healthcare workers in screening and treatment pathways.

In a follow-up study, the cure rate was found to be over 96 per cent while no case of new infection was detected in the post-intervention screening.

“The Qambar-Keamari project proves that public health challenges of this magnitude can be overcome when we work together with purpose and determination. Today, we not only celebrate results, we renew our commitment to taking this success nationwide,” noted Dr Saad Khalid Niaz, president of the NF, and former caretaker health minister.

In her remarks, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho said the provincial government remained committed to eliminating Hepatitis C and scaling up successful pilots like the Qambar-Keamari project. This collaboration demonstrates the impact we can achieve when the government, civil society and the private sector work together.”

Khurram Khalid Ilyas representing Roche Diagnostics Pakistan & Afghanistan said that reliable diagnostics were essential to turning ambition into action.

“We are proud to have been part of this transformative journey, demonstrating what’s possible through public-private partnership.”

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2025