Bid to tackle life-threatening diseases: PM orders screening of patients at all govt hospitals

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered screening of patients in all government hospitals, in a determined bid to tackle life-threatening viral diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS. Chairing a review meeting on the affairs of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, the PM called for the establishment of an integrated disease-reporting system, to be implemented in coordination with provincial authorities. The system is designed to monitor cases of hepatitis, AIDS, and other major illnesses in real time, allowing for faster intervention and prevention. “Timely identification is the only way to fully prevent these diseases, ” the PM said, urging the rapid launch of the Prime Minister Hepatitis Control Programme, which prioritises screening, testing, and treatment. He further instructed that auto-disable (AD) syringes be used nationwide to prevent the spread of viral infections, directing the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and related bodies to enforce strict measures against syringe reuse. He framed the drive as part of a broader commitment to improving healthcare services across the country. “For the protection of even a single precious life, we are ready to overcome every limit, every obstacle, and make every sacrifice, ” he said. He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to eradicate polio completely. In a detailed briefing at the meeting, authorities said that 98 anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centres are operational in major hospitals, with plans to expand to 164 within a year. AIDS screening has been introduced at all international airports for returning illegal migrants, they added. The government is also preparing to pilot the National Hepatitis Control Programme in Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. They said that environmental testing has shown a gradual decline in polio virus presence, an encouraging sign for the ongoing eradication campaign. Officials noted that the most recent polio vaccination drive achieved 98 percent coverage nationwide. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, National Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Minister of State for Health Dr Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, and the Prime Minister’s focal person for polio eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, attended the meeting, along with senior officials from health and regulatory bodies. The PM’s directives come amid growing concern over viral diseases in Pakistan, where hepatitis and AIDS remain major public health challenges. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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