Pakistan is home to second highest number of Hepatitis patients in the world, around 15 million people in the country are affected by hepatitis B or C. If government wants to perform better in the ranking it have to provide better health water and health facilities.
Dr. Abdullah Rana, President of Pakistan Medical Association Sargodha, highlighted this issue in a seminar held on Hepatitis. He suggested that government should take concrete steps such as providing clean drinking water, better sewerage facilities and an end to growing vegetables through contaminated water.
According to a survey quoted by The Economist, Pakistan can save the lives of 320,000 people in 15 years by providing better health facilities to patients of Hepatitis C.
In Pakistan the diseases can be sharply reduced by taking simple steps such as stopping the reuse of syringe, which is the primary cause of high HCV in the country. Health experts also raise concern that in all other countries blood banks are regulated by governments but in Pakistan they are not.
Similarly poor wastage management, no proper sewerage and lack of clean drinking water also increases the risk of Hepatitis. And when Hepatitis patient visit hospital they are find inadequate treatment which delays their recovery, increase the chance of spreading the disease and results in higher fatality.