Hepatitis emergency

EDITORIAL: The grim statistics released by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on this year’s World Hepatitis Day should jolt policymakers out of their complacency. Pakistan’s ranking as the world’s fifth-highest country in viral hepatitis burden—and the largest reservoir of Hepatitis C infections globally—is not only a public health concern but a national development challenge. Nearly 13. 8 million Pakistanis are living with chronic Hepatitis B or C, while more than 37, 000 die annually from preventable complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. These figures reflect not just the scale of the crisis but also the failure of successive governments to confront its root causes with the urgency they demand. Unlike many diseases that require costly scientific breakthroughs, hepatitis is largely preventable. Hepatitis C is curable, while Hepatitis B can be effectively prevented through vaccination. Yet Pakistan continues to record around 110, 000 new Hepatitis C infections every year, with unsafe medical procedures accounting for the overwhelming majority. This is a damning indictment of a healthcare system in which the reuse of syringes, inadequate sterilization of medical equipment, unscreened blood transfusions, and weak regulatory oversight have become entrenched practices rather than isolated lapses. Nor is the problem confined to hospitals. Unsafe procedures at dental clinics, barber shops, beauty salons, and the continued operation of unlicensed medical practitioners expose millions to avoidable risks. The persistence of quackery, despite repeated promises of crackdowns, underscores the state’s inability—or unwillingness—to enforce its own laws. The official messages issued on World Hepatitis Day rightly emphasize prevention, early diagnosis, and equitable access to treatment. Yet Pakistan’s response has too often consisted of declarations of intent rather than measurable action. The country needs a comprehensive hepatitis elimination strategy with clearly defined targets, adequate financing, and transparent monitoring. Infection-control protocols must be rigorously enforced across all healthcare facilities; blood banks should undergo regular audits, while violations of safety standards must invite swift and meaningful penalties. Expanding universal Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination and scaling up affordable screening and treatment services should become central pillars of public health policy. Equally important is public education. Millions remain unaware that routine medical procedures, unscreened blood transfusions, or even a shave with an unsterilized razor can transmit the virus. Sustained, evidence-based awareness campaigns—not confined to annual commemorations—are essential to changing behaviour, encouraging early testing, and reducing the stigma that still discourages many from seeking diagnosis and treatment. The hepatitis epidemic must be countered with firm political resolve, institutional coordination, and sustained investment. The country cannot continue to accept thousands of avoidable deaths each year when effective preventive and curative tools are already available. World Hepatitis Day should therefore serve not as another annual ritual of concern but as the turning point the state finally treats viral hepatitis as the national public health emergency it has long become. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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