Project Director of the Prime Minister’s National Programme for Elimination of Hepatitis C, Dr. Zia Dawar has urged people to undergo free screening and seek timely treatment, warning that the silent disease can lead to liver cirrhosis and cancer if left undiagnosed and untreated.
Public urged to benefit from free hepatitis C screening
ISLAMABAD, Nov 04 (APP): Project Director of the Prime Minister’s National Programme for Elimination of Hepatitis C, Dr. Zia Dawar has urged people to undergo free screening and seek timely treatment, warning that the silent disease can lead to liver cirrhosis and cancer if left undiagnosed and untreated.
In his message, Dr. Zia Dawar said more than 10 million people in Pakistan were affected by hepatitis C, many of whom remained unaware of their infection due to the absence of noticeable symptoms.
He emphasized that hepatitis C was 100 per cent curable with appropriate treatment and that early diagnosis was essential to prevent serious liver complications.
Under the Prime Minister’s National Programme for Elimination of Hepatitis C, free screening and treatment facilities were being provided to facilitate early diagnosis and access to healthcare, he added.
He said that the programme has been launched in Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, while plans are underway to extend its coverage across the country.
Dr. Dawar encouraged people to visit their nearest health facility or contact outreach teams along with their family members to benefit from free screening services.
He stressed that public awareness, early testing and timely treatment were vital to achieving the goal of a hepatitis C-free Pakistan.
