LAHORE: The Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme (PHCP) has arranged 40,000 safe barber kits for the distribution of registered 40,000 barbers. The solid steps are being taken to eradicate hepatitis B and C from the society and so the Health Department has crossed another milestone in this regard by starting the distribution of 40,000 safe barber kits among the barbers of the province. The Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir expressed these views while addressing the inauguration ceremony of distribution of safe barber kits on Saturday, organised by the PHCP. The minister asked the barbers to promise that they will act upon the guidance provided by the health department to ensure stoppage of transfer of disease from one man to the other. The department also trained them to utilise new infection free blades and scissors during hair cutting and shaving to control the spread of infections. The Punjab Assembly has passed Hepatitis Act-2018 in March and an important clause of the act is to ensure infection control and prevention of the disease. On this occasion, Hepatitis Control Programme Director Dr Zahida Sarwar, Deputy Programme Manager Dr Shaaban, a large number of barbers and district health officers also attended. Safe kits were distributed among the barbers of Lahore while the kits of other districts were handed over to the deputy district officers. In this connection, a distribution ceremony would be held in each district for this purpose. Published in Daily Times, April 29th 2018.