12m people suffering from hepatitis, govt tells Senate

ISLAMABAD: The government informed the Senate on Monday that 12 million people across Pakistan were suffering from hepatitis and this number was the highest in the world.
State Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar told the House in response to a commenced motion that was moved by Senator Tahir Hussain Mashhadi.Senators Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Dr. Jehanzeb Jamaldeni, Sassui Palijo, Usman Kakar and Muhammad Hamza called for allocation of adequate funds to combat the deadly ailment.
It was also proposed to the government to form a hepatitis task force to create awareness among masses about the life-threatening disease, which had now become epidemic.The government was asked to make mandatory hepatitis test of students in schools and colleges besides ensuring all health measures were observed during blood transfusion and administering injection.
The senators called on the government to launch schemes for supply of clean drinking water to people in the rural as well as urban areas. They pointed out the most backward localities were the main victim of this ailment.
The minister lamented in the House that the paucity of funds was the main hurdle in fighting the disease. Meanwhile, Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani in a ruling observed that the members of the House should follow the dress code.
This he said on seeing State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali entering in the House wearing a shalwar qameez with his shirtsleeves rolled.Rabbani contended that a member might wear a short sleeve shirt but a shirt with full sleeves should not be rolled. On this, the minister started unrolling his sleeves.The House also adopted a resolution, calling for a ban on manufacturing and use of polythene shopping bags.