Nationwide Hepatitis C Screening Drive Delayed

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb expressed concerns over the sluggish progress of Pakistan’s Hepatitis C elimination program, revealing that just 100,000 out of three million bought diagnostic tests have been employed. This issue was broached during a meeting with a representative from Abbott’s Pharmaceuticals Division in New York, which took place during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Finance Minister placed blame on leadership changes, inefficient project management, and insufficient public awareness as factors contributing to the slow implementation. Aurangzeb emphasized the necessity of addressing these concerns to expedite the program.

He acknowledged Abbott’s valuable technical support, which includes their experience in facilitating Egypt’s extensive Hepatitis C screening initiative. Besides, the meeting delved into strengthening the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan’s regulatory abilities and expanding pharmaceutical exports. Abbott also shared their strategy for oncology treatment and the hurdles they encountered in resolving hardship medicine-price cases.

The Finance Minister stressed the delicate balance between making medicines affordable while ensuring their commercial viability and a steady supply, stating that he would convey these implementation issues to the pertinent authorities in Pakistan to hasten progress on the Hepatitis C elimination program.