Daily Times

KARACHI: Four hundred patients out of 500 have been found positive with hepatitis B and C during a two-day medical and surgical camp in Thatta.

A medical and surgical camp was organised on Saturday at Qadir Bux Bhutto Trust Hospital by Hashmani’s Medical Welfare Foundation, a Karachi-based charity organisation.

Giving briefing to journalists in Karachi, Dr Sharif, Chairman Hashmanis Medical Welfare Foundation and a renowned eye surgeon, said that more than 80 percent patients hailing from city and outskirts of Thatta were found exposed to hepatitis B and C during screening in two days free medical camp.

“More than 1,100 patients were examined during two days camp and over 500 of them were screened for hepatitis, cholesterol and diabetes,” he stated.

“This is very alarming that we have found 80 percent lab samples positive with hepatitis B and C, which warrants urgent attention of government officials. More than 25 percent patients were found diabetic too during laboratory investigations, Dr Sharif Hashmani said.

“Unhygienic conditions, quakes, unsafe blood transfusion, unnatural and unprotected sex are the main reasons behind this critical situation. People who inject drugs (PWID) are also exposed to this situation,” Dr Hashmani added.

“Before conducting the camp, we didn’t realise the situation could be so alarming. However, now we are planning to conduct a Sindh-based survey to know the actual situation. I would appeal to the Sindh government to assist us in this regard.”

“As many as 123 cataract operations were performed on patients during the two days. We will soon establish a charity hospital to cater medical needs of poor population of Thatta and its surroundings,” he announced.

Dr Sharif Hashmani said that Qadir Bux Bhutto had offered building of his Qadir Bux Bhutto Trust Hospital located at the city’s main artery to establish the charity healthcare facility.

Published in Daily Times, February  14^th 2018.