On Thursday, 7th October 2021, the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi joined hands with SSGC to eliminate Hepatitis C. Salman Siddiqui, Head of Corporate Communications SSGC, presented a cheque on behalf of SSGC to Mr. Nadeem Mustafa Khan, Chairman, The Patients' Behbud Society (PBS) for AKUH. Also representing AKUH at the ceremony were Mr. Abdul Qadir Memon, Executive Committee Member PBS for AKUH, Alizay Jaffer, Director Resource Development, Shagufta Hassan, CEO AKUH Outreach Health Network and Yawar Muzammil, Manager Resource Development, along with other officials from SSGC.
Pakistan has the second highest global burden of Hepatitis C Virus infections, with an estimated 5% of the population infected (i.e., eight million people). However, antiviral medicines can cure more than 95% of patients if there is access to diagnosis and treatment.
This year, AKUH's Outreach Health Network, has launched a programme to help eliminate Hepatitis C in Pakistan. Our aim is to provide free of cost treatment to zakat mustehiq patients suffering from Hepatitis C. The programme comprises of four steps which include screening, diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment follow up.