LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Thursday that his government had provided sufficient resources for eradication of hepatitis. “For the first time in the history of the country, the Punjab government has initiated a programme for provision of free medicines of hepatitis B and C to registered patients through courier service,” he said in his message on the occasion of the World Hepatitis Day. The chief minister said, “Hepatitis is a fatal disease. However, people can remain safe from this disease by adopting necessary precautionary measures. It is, therefore, needed that people should be given all necessary information about safety measures relating to the disease so that they can remain safe from it.” He said, “The purpose of observing this day is to provide necessary awareness about this disease to the people in an effective manner. The government is engaged in an organised campaign to sensitise the general public through mass media.” He said, “Provision of necessary medicines to the patients at their doorsteps is a revolutionary initiative. It is the commitment of the provincial government to further expand this programme. The government has initiated a special campaign to control this disease and therefore Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme is being moved forward in an effective manner. Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute and Research Centre is under construction in Lahore. It is hoped that this institution will prove a milestone initiative in the field of kidney and liver transplantation, where liver patients will have all the latest treatment facilities under one roof.” The chief minister added, “The pioneering state-of-the-art hepatitis filter clinic is providing medical facilities to the people in the provincial metropolis and such clinics are also being established in other districts. Effective steps are needed to be done continuously to control the hepatitis disease.”
Published in Daily Times, July 28th , 2017.