Pakistan Ranks Fifth Globally for Viral Hepatitis Burden
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been identified as the country with the world’s fifth-largest viral hepatitis burden, according to the Pakistan Medical Association, as health authorities and public representatives marked World Hepatitis Day on Tuesday. The warning has renewed attention on unsafe medical practices, delayed diagnosis and gaps in preventive healthcare across the country.
PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said an estimated 13.8 million Pakistanis are living with chronic hepatitis B or C. Hepatitis C accounts for around 10 million cases, while approximately 3.8 million people are believed to have chronic hepatitis B, placing Pakistan behind only China, India, Indonesia and Nigeria in the overall global ranking.
The association estimated that hepatitis C affects between 4.8 per cent and 7.5 per cent of Pakistan’s population, while the prevalence of hepatitis B ranges from 1.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent. Untreated infections can gradually damage the liver, causing cirrhosis and liver cancer, with related complications reportedly claiming more than 37,000 lives in Pakistan every year.
Citing international health data, Dr Shoro said unsafe medical injections remain one of the most serious drivers of hepatitis C transmission. Pakistan records an estimated 110,000 new infections annually, with around 62 per cent associated with unsafe medical procedures, including inadequately screened blood transfusions, and the remaining cases linked to injectable drug use.
The PMA highlighted the reuse of syringes, poorly sterilised surgical and dental equipment, unsafe intravenous drips and unregulated medical practices as major sources of infection. Additional risks include contaminated instruments used for body piercing, tattooing and shaving, along with insufficient coverage of the hepatitis B vaccine dose recommended shortly after birth.
President Asif Ali Zardari described hepatitis as a major but preventable public-health challenge, stressing that early detection and timely treatment could save lives. He called for stronger enforcement against unsafe practices in healthcare facilities, barbershops and beauty salons, while also urging broad public-awareness campaigns to help families understand how the viruses spread.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said undiagnosed or improperly treated hepatitis could become life-threatening. He reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to preventive healthcare, early diagnosis, accessible treatment and legislation designed to improve the quality of medical services, while Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah emphasised equitable access to screening and care.
Pakistan’s hepatitis crisis carries consequences beyond the health system because chronic illness can reduce productivity, increase household medical costs and place sustained pressure on hospitals. Families may remain unaware of an infection for years because hepatitis B and C can progress without obvious symptoms until serious liver damage has already occurred.
Health experts are calling for stricter monitoring of blood banks, compulsory sterilisation standards, safer injection practices and wider vaccination and screening programmes. The effectiveness of Pakistan’s response will depend on whether federal and provincial authorities can translate public commitments into sustained action, particularly in underserved communities where diagnosis and specialist treatment remain difficult to obtain.