RAWALPINDI:
Local Hepatitis Prevention and Elimination Program (LHEAP) and Gulf Care Hospital (GCH), a large private hospital, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide free treatment to people suffering from hepatitis B and C in large quantities.
The MoU aims to provide free facilities for all types of surgeries, ultrasound scans, medicines and consultant consultations to people suffering from hepatitis. Necessary laboratory tests through blood tests will also be performed free of charge.
Currently, there are a large number of hepatitis B and C patients in all union councils (UCs) of Rawalpindi city. The high cost of hepatitis treatment represents a barrier for middle-class and poor people, who often lack the financial resources to get rid of this disease, leading to a higher risk of death.
Under LHEAP, teams visited a total of 10,347 houses across UCs from July 10 to December this year. During this period, blood tests were performed on 47,631 people, resulting in the diagnosis of 377 people with Hepatitis B and 1,671 people with Hepatitis C.
Additionally, 38 people were found to have hepatitis B and C and eight pregnant women were diagnosed with hepatitis B and C. The total number of hepatitis positive people was 2,086.
As many as 13,413 people suffering from hepatitis received the first dose of vaccination, 7,819 people received the second dose and 194 people received the third dose of vaccination. In addition, 21,426 people received the vaccine to prevent Hepatitis B.
The field teams visited 2,540 houses in UC 8, which currently suffers from the highest incidence of hepatitis in Rawalpindi. A blood test was carried out on 9,576 people, 89 people were diagnosed with hepatitis B and 340 with hepatitis C, while eight people were diagnosed with hepatitis B and C.
There are 437 people positive for Hepatitis B and C, there were 437 and there is a pregnant woman with Hepatitis B and C. In this UC, 651 people received the first dose of the medication, another 31 received the second dose and 682 people They were administered the hepatitis B vaccine.
Dr Ansar Ishaq, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LHEAP, says the program is working on two fronts: firstly, an awareness campaign is being carried out to educate citizens on how to protect themselves from hepatitis and, Secondly, upon signing a Memorandum of Understanding with a hospital, people suffering from the disease will have access to the facilities, including all necessary laboratory tests, internal admission, medications and consultations with specialist doctors.
