Govt adopts new approach to knock out hepatitis
By FOZIA AZAM

ISLAMABAD - The loopholes in existing Hepatitis Control Programme, introduced by
the previous regime, have pushed the incumbent government to formulate Hepatitis
Prevention Act that would be supported by two other medical acts, including Safe
Blood Transfusion Act and Medical Devices Act to root out the rampant deadly
liver disease from the country.
The step has been taken after observing a number of deficiencies in the National
Programme for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis and it has been decided to
rename the Programme as ‘Prime Minister Emergency Action on Hepatitis’.
TheNation has learnt through reliable sources in the concerned departments that
to infuse a new life in the National Hepatitis Control Programme, government has
decided to take a number of initiatives. It has been decided to run the
programme with a new approach warranted with overlapping projects and
legislation aimed at fighting back this growing menace in country.

“A number of component wise deficiencies were observed in the National Programme
for Prevention and control of Hepatitis. Under the programme, six laboratories
had been selected for the purpose of upgradation but the target was missed and
no laboratory was upgraded to check the water quality,” sources added.
They said that for epidemic testing, only two kits of hepatitis had been
purchased and they were used only by N.I.H during the implementation year that
consisted of three years and only 24,000 cases were provided medical treatment
under the said programme. It is pertinent to mention here that the National
Programme for prevention of Hepatitis was launched in 2005 at a cost of Rs 2.5
billion but it could be not run in an effective manner.
Now, the Ministry of Health has planned to launch a comprehensive programme,
including legalisation to fight the deadly disease. “The new initiatives would
be taken with an approached focusing on prevention, diagnosis and behavioural
change while treatment would be provincialised,” informed an official.

He said that under the new strategy government had planned to establish a
national network to monitor the disease surveillance. “Channels of spread of
hepatitis B, C, D are reuse of injections, improper sterilisation of medical
instruments, body piercing and unscreened blood transfusion, therefore, steps
are being taken to bring these neglected areas under legal sphere,” he added.
He said that hepatitis and infection control committee would also be established
at provincial levels and would be made functional in almost 425 major hospitals
of the country. “A microbiologist each from the selected hospital will be
trained and would be made responsible for awareness and to improve and monitor
sterilisation, staff immunisation,” he added.
According to the official, government was also urging provinces, AJK and FATA to
device their PC-1 for treatment component of hepatitis as so far Sindh, Punjab
and NWFP had completed their PC-1 while Balochistan is yet to devise. “Sindh has
prepared PC-1 with a cost of Rs 2.3 billion having a provision of 50,000
patients treatment while the government is also trying to take FATA and AJK on
board in this regard so they can adopt this programme in their entity,” he
added.

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