Mustafa Kamal Reveals Hepatitis C Test Result Amid Screening Drive
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday disclosed that his own Hepatitis C screening test had returned negative, as he used a press conference in Islamabad to push forward the government’s wider campaign against the disease. The announcement came alongside a tougher policy message: health ministry employees will be required to undergo Hepatitis C testing, and those refusing screening may face salary stoppage.
The minister said the federal government had begun implementing the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis C Elimination Programme in phases, with Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan already included in the early rollout. He described screening as a national public health necessity rather than a routine administrative exercise, arguing that Pakistan cannot control the disease unless testing becomes widespread and systematic.
According to Kamal, the Ministry of National Health Services has made Hepatitis C testing compulsory for its own staff and is writing to other federal ministries to adopt the same requirement. He said the policy would eventually be extended to all government employees, including ministers, so that the state sector leads by example in the national screening effort.
The health minister also said 17 free screening points had been established in Islamabad to facilitate public access to testing. Private hospitals will also be provided screening kits so that the testing network can expand beyond government facilities and reach more citizens without creating additional financial pressure.
Kamal warned that Pakistan is facing a serious Hepatitis C burden, with more than 10 million people believed to be living with the infection. He said patients diagnosed under the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis Programme would receive free medicine worth Rs68,000, making treatment more accessible for people who may otherwise delay care because of cost.
The government is also preparing to connect screening records with the National Database and Registration Authority. Officials believe that digital linkage with NADRA can help maintain a verified health record, reduce duplication and support future policy decisions on testing, treatment and disease surveillance.
In a significant policy indication, Kamal said Hepatitis C screening would be required for people deported to Pakistan and may also become necessary for citizens applying for identity cards or travelling abroad. The proposal, if implemented, could make screening a routine part of civic documentation and international mobility.
Public health specialists have long warned that Hepatitis C spreads silently because many infected people remain unaware of their condition for years. Unsafe blood transfusions, poor sterilisation practices, reuse of contaminated syringes and gaps in screening have all contributed to Pakistan’s disease burden.
The latest announcement is likely to trigger debate over enforcement, privacy and access, especially if testing becomes linked to salaries, identity documents or travel requirements. However, the government appears determined to treat Hepatitis C elimination as a national campaign requiring administrative pressure as well as free public services.
The next step will be the expansion of screening points, coordination with federal ministries and integration of test records with national databases. If implemented effectively, the campaign could become one of Pakistan’s largest preventive health drives and may help reduce long-term liver disease, treatment costs and avoidable deaths.