National ( The cow news digital )
ISLAMABAD — In a stern effort to combat the alarmingly high transmission of Hepatitis C across the country, Federal Minister for Health Mustafa Kamal has announced mandatory hepatitis screening for all employees of the Ministry of Health, warning that salaries will be withheld for non-compliant staff.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister highlighted the critical state of the public health challenge, revealing that an estimated 11 million people in Pakistan currently test positive for Hepatitis C. Given that the viral infection spreads rapidly through blood transmission, Kamal stressed the imperative need for widespread nationwide testing, advocating that every individual above the age of 12 should undergo formal screening procedures. He added that the ministry intends to expand these mandatory testing frameworks to employees of other government departments in subsequent phases.
To strengthen execution, targeted mass screening drives will be launched across Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan. Comprehensive testing protocols have also been implemented for returning deportees, alongside a mandatory three-month screening process covering passengers across all incoming flights. To streamline data collection and tracking, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics has provided technological gadgets, integrating census software directly with National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) records to manage medical data efficiently.
While offering free testing and treatment facilities to the public, the federal minister expressed concern over data-sharing delays from the Punjab government, announcing plans to meet directly with the Chief Minister of Punjab to resolve administrative bottlenecks and harmonize the national database.
