Elimination of hepatitis from Pakistan by 2030: is it possible?

Abstract

Globally 71 million people are living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) out which 7.1 million (10%) are present in Pakistan. Genotype 3 is the most common HCV type in the country. World Health Organization is working with health authorities in different countries for effective control of HCV, to reduce its incidence by 90% and to reduce hepatitis related mortality by 65% by the year 2030. There are several challenges that hinder elimination of HCV from Pakistan including the lack of patient awareness about the causes and transmission of disease, lack of affordability for investigations and drug treatment and lack of experienced healthcare professionals. Other major contributors to achieve HCV elimination are lack of effective drugs and delayed regulatory approvals combined with compromised monitoring by health authorities and lack of robust epidemiological data. Efforts are needed to educate the public about the modes of transmission and prevention of HCV infection, and massively upscale screening along with treatment. There is a dire need to prevent more than 200,000 new infections that occur each year in Pakistan. Given the scale of the problem, it is very unlikely that the government alone can handle it.

Keywords

Hepatitis C virus / global health sector strategy / hepatitis elimination / national hepatitis strategic framework / punjab hepatitis ordinance / hepatitis diagnosis / screening

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