Hepatitis in Punjab cases soar to 3.9 million

Public service delivery check: CM visits Shahdara Hospital

Lahore_In a concerning development, the number of hepatitis patients in Punjab has skyrocketed to over 3.9 million, underscoring a growing health crisis that demands immediate attention. Official documents have revealed that out of the 217 clinics across Punjab, only a mere 23 have access to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test facilities – a crucial tool for accurate hepatitis diagnosis – with less than 11% of clinics equipped with this.

As per reports, more than 981,000 PCR tests for hepatitis have been administered thus far. Perhaps the most alarming discovery from the documents is that a significant 62% of the disease’s transmission is attributed to the repeated use of syringes. Among the most affected are patients grappling with Hepatitis C, with more than 76,000 reported cases in Punjab. Hepatitis C is notorious for its ability to evolve into a chronic condition, leading to severe liver damage if left untreated.

This is compounded by recent screening data, which has unveiled an unsettling 138,000 cases of Hepatitis B. This number is a startling contrast to the previously registered four lakh cases of hepatitis B and C.

Earlier,

Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid a visit to Shahdara Hospital late on Tuesday night,  He took a tour of the different departments of the health facility and interacted with the patients and their attendants. The chief minister expressed satisfaction with the public service delivery. The condition of Shahdara Hospital has improved a lot, he said and praised the medics for their hard work. He issued directives to allocate separate spaces for cardiology.The chief minister cancelled the contract of the parking lot as the people complained to him about overcharging.

He issued directives to hand over the parking lot to the Lahore Parking Company the CM also visited the site of the Shahdara Flyover Project. He passed an order to finish the task on time and asked the authorities concerned to devise a strategy to reduce commuters’ inconvenience during the ongoing work. He asked the commissioner and CCPO to pay visits to the project site on a daily basis.