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Free IFN/RBV in Pakistan
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150 hospitals to have free hepatitis treatment facility
http://www.app.com.pk
ISLAMABAD, Jun 3 (APP): The Ministry of Health will provide free diagnostic and treatment facilities in 150 teaching and District Headquarters Hospitals (DHQs) for hepatitis B and C across the country.According to official sources, 13,000 patients are receiving free treatment of hepatitis B and C under the Prime Minister's Programme for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis.
He said country's 60 hospitals were already being provided treatment services for hepatitis to the most deserving patients of all four provinces.
Hepatitis Management Committees have been formed in every District Hospital in this regard to ensure the system transparent.
Sources said the Injection Interferon and Capsule Ribavirin are available in sufficient quantity at Poly Clinic, PIMS and NIH stores and are being issued to the deserving population.
Moreover, fresh supplies are also in the pipeline and would be delivered to all provincial health departments as well as federal health institutions soon.
They said the medicines procured by the programme are distributed to the provincial health departments on population basis.
Regarding status of the federal hospitals, they said that both Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Poly Clinic have till date provided free of charge treatment facilities to 726 and 1290 patients of hepatitis B and C respectively.
Under the programme launched in September 2005, the Ministry of Health has planned comprehensive strategy for prevention and treatment of hepatitis B and C.
The ministry has started hepatitis B vaccination of all infants and behaviour change communication, strengthening of safe blood transfusion services and establishment of proper hospital waste management system.
Through these measures, the Ministry of Health is trying its level best to facilitate the provincial health departments for prevention and control of vial hepatitis, the sources said.
They said the ministry is also resuading them for resource allocation through regular health budget and the provincial PC-I is expected soon to supplement the initiative of the federal government.
They said the prevalence of hepatitis-B and C in the national population is estimated to be 3-4% and 5-6% respectively.
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