Rawalpindi: Provincial Health Minister of Punjab Dr. Jamal Nasir has said that a hepatitis eradication programme namely Local Hepatitis Elimination & Prevention (LHEAP) Project will be started in the four union councils of Rawalpindi for a population of 100,000 with the support of the American organisation, the Task Force for Global Health, under which hepatitis tests will be done for all the population, says a press release.
He said vaccination will be given and hepatitis patients will be treated free of charge. He said that hepatitis will be completely eradicated from these four union councils and plans will be made to extend the same model to the provincial level.He did this while signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the American organisation Task Force for Global Health at District Health Authority Rawalpindi, Khayaban Sir Syed. Dr. John and Dr. Monica from the American organisation of Global Health were present online at the ceremony. CEO Health Rawalpindi Dr. Ijaz, District Health Officer Dr. Ehsan Ghani, Director and Representative of LHEAP in Pakistan Dr. Nida Jahanzeb and other relevant officials were also present in the event. On this occasion, Dr. Jamal Nasir also inaugurated the office of LHEAP in Rawalpindi.
Dr. Jamal Nasir said that in the pilot project of this program against hepatitis, 10 thousand people will be given hepatitis test, vaccine and treatment and it will start from June 12. He said that this program will be started in Union Councils 10, 11, 14 and 15 which have a population of one lakh.