Minister stresses need to overcome hepatitis

LAHORE: Minister for Health Dr Yasmin Rashid inaugurated a three-day anti-hepatitis free screening camp set up at Govt Mozang Hospital here on Thursday.

Fatima Jinnah Medical University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Aamir Zaman Khan, Director-General, Health Services Punjab, Dr Haroon Jahangir, representatives of PKLI lab and a large number of locals came for screening were present on this occasion.

Highlighting the importance of these free screening camps, Dr Yasmin Rashid said at least 10 per cent people are affected by this disease in Pakistan. It is highly necessary to overcome hepatitis, he stressed.

The minister said that instructions have been issued to the departments concerned to launch a comprehensive awareness campaign throughout the Punjab regarding hepatitis B and C. She asked philanthropists to support the government’s cause of eradicating fatal disease like hepatitis. The government is taking effective measures to save the lives of mother and child. These free screening camps will provide free of cost screen facility regarding hepatitis B and C to people. She said: “We are determined to eradicate hepatitis from Pakistan.” PML-N corrupt government did not complete 131 projects of public welfare. Sharif brothers intentionally ruined the villages of southern Punjab, she added.

She said Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme is providing free of cost treatment facilities and medicines to the hepatitis patients throughout the province. She said people coming for free screening in these camps are being informed about the importance of screening and this disease. She said a project of 40 crore rupees is being launched for safe disposal of government hospitals’ waste. She maintained that inquiry has been initiated to identify the responsible of expired medicines case. She said medicines of worth Rs 31 billion were purchased for the public sector hospitals of the Punjab.