Cases of hepatitis C rising alarmingly in several districts: survey.

KARACHI -- The prevalence of hepatitis C virus has increased in Sindh with several districts showing an alarming rise in the number of cases, with unsafe blood transfusion, poor infection control and unsterilised injections still standing out as major risk factors for the infection.

This was stated in a survey whose findings were recently shared in an official meeting, which was attended by provincial health minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, health secretary Zulfiqar Shah, director general-health Dr Juman Bahoto, World Health Organisation representative Dr Palitha Gunarathna Mahipala and others.

The survey, presented by Dr Huma Qureshi, national focal point for hepatitis in Pakistan, was jointly conducted by the provincial health department and WHO-Pakistan from Nov 2019 till June 2020.

It gathered data from 1,153 households in 29 districts and screened more than 6,000 individuals for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Data gathered from 1,153 households in 29 districts; over 6,000 screened for hepatitis B, C, HIV

The survey showed that while the prevalence of hepatitis B virus had reduced from 2.5 per cent to one per cent over a decade, excluding one district, the cases of hepatitis C had increased from 5pc to 6.1pc with some districts showing very high prevalence.

A comparative analysis of 2008-2019 data of 12 districts showed that Sukkur was the only district where prevalence of hepatitis B had increased from 1.4pc to 4.6pc.

There was an overall increase in the prevalence of hepatitis C in Sindh in the same period with districts of Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Khaipur, Sukkur and Thatta showing a very high...