Islamabad: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal’s Hepatitis C test has come back negative. The federal minister has announced a nationwide Hepatitis C screening campaign and made testing mandatory for government employees.
Speaking at a press conference, Mustafa Kamal said that Hepatitis C screening has been made mandatory for employees of the Ministry of Health as well as other government employees. Letters are being sent to all ministries in this regard.
He said 17 free Hepatitis C screening centers have been established in Islamabad, while screening kits will also be provided to private hospitals. The screening of citizens will also be launched across the country.
According to the federal health minister, Hepatitis C testing will be mandatory for all government employees, including ministers, while action will also be taken against employees who refuse to undergo the test.
Mustafa Kamal said that more than 10 million people in Pakistan are suffering from Hepatitis C. Under the PM Hepatitis Programme, patients will be provided medicines worth approximately Rs. 68,000 free of charge.
He added that screening is already underway in Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad, while screening has also been made mandatory for deportees returning to Pakistan. Work is also underway to make Hepatitis C screening mandatory for people traveling abroad.
The federal minister said that unsafe blood transfusions are among the major causes of the spread of Hepatitis. He urged citizens to benefit from the free screening facility and get tested in a timely manner.
