Karachi: There has been a rapid increase in hepatitis C
cases in Pakistan, which is raising global concern.
According to a recent report by the World Health
Organization (WHO), Pakistan, India, and China together account for 39% of the
total burden of hepatitis C in the world.
The report states that Pakistan is among the 10 countries
where 58% of deaths from the disease were reported, while the number of
hepatitis C patients in the country has been declared the highest in the world.
According to global statistics, a total of 1.34 million
deaths were reported due to hepatitis B and C in 2024, while 1.8 million new
cases were reported worldwide in the same year while only 20% of hepatitis C
patients were able to access treatment, while less than 5% of hepatitis B
patients are receiving treatment.
According to experts, the major causes of the spread of the
disease include unsafe medical practices, re-use of contaminated syringes and
injections. Concerns have also been raised in Pakistan over the use of
counterfeit auto-disable syringes, which give a false impression of safety.
The report further states that the hepatitis B vaccine
provides more than 95 percent protection, while effective treatment for
hepatitis C is possible in 8 to 12 weeks. However, experts say that current
measures are insufficient to achieve the global goal of eliminating the disease
by 2030 and an urgent and effective strategy is needed.
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