Officials said hepatitis C was detected in approximately 2 to 2.5 per cent of individuals screened in the general population. However, the infection rate was significantly higher in areas with limited healthcare facilities, reaching around 6 per cent.
The screening campaign is being conducted at government hospitals and healthcare centres across Islamabad, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Polyclinic Hospital.
Under the first phase, the government aims to screen 1.6 million people across the Islamabad Capital Territory. The initiative is part of a nationwide campaign targeting more than 160 million people.
All individuals aged 12 and above are eligible for free hepatitis C screening. Those who test positive in initial screenings are being referred for PCR tests to confirm the infection.
The government is also providing a complete three-month course of medication free of charge to patients diagnosed with hepatitis C.
Meanwhile, the federal government has decided to extend the screening initiative to other parts of the country. The supply of testing kits and medicines has already begun in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In the next phase, the required supplies will be dispatched to Sindh, followed by Balochistan and Punjab to expand screening and treatment facilities nationwide.
The Prime Minister’s programme aims to eliminate hepatitis C from Pakistan by 2030 through widespread screening, early diagnosis and free treatment.
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