Pakistan has the world’s highest number of hepatitis C (HCV) patients, with 10 million of the global 60 million cases, Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, Coordinator to the Pakistan Prime Minister on Health, revealed on Saturday. Speaking at a seminar organized by the Health Foundation, Bharath emphasized the critical need for immediate action to combat the public health crisis.
“This places us at the heart of the global effort to eliminate this disease,” Bharath said, highlighting that without intervention, HCV cases in Pakistan could rise to over 11 million by 2035, resulting in more than 500,000 liver cirrhosis cases, over 100,000 liver cancer cases, and 130,000 related deaths. The economic impact could surpass USD 285 million annually.
To address this challenge, the federal government, in collaboration with provincial governments, has launched the Prime Minister’s Programme for the Elimination of HCV Infection, with a budget of PKR 67.77 billion allocated over three years. The initiative aims to screen, test, and treat 50% of the eligible population, while pushing for 100% coverage to meet global elimination targets by 2030.
Key steps include establishing a National Technical Advisory Group for hepatitis control, creating strategic frameworks, ensuring access to affordable Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs), and scaling up nationwide vaccination, screening, and treatment efforts.
Bharath stressed the need for further international collaboration and technical support to enhance monitoring, train healthcare workers, and expand healthcare systems. “We seek global partnerships to help us achieve our targets,” he added.
The seminar underscored the urgency of collective action, with Bharath calling on global stakeholders to bolster Pakistan’s efforts to eliminate HCV and reduce its devastating health and economic toll.
