Health Minister calls for accelerated public awareness campaign to eliminate Hepatitis C

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jun, 2026) Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal stressed the need to accelerate public awareness campaigns to maximize screening for Hepatitis C, urging citizens to avail themselves of free testing facilities available at health centres in Islamabad.

He expressed these views while chairing a review meeting on the ongoing pilot project in capital aimed at eliminating Hepatitis C here, according to the Ministry of Health on Monday.

The meeting was attended by the Federal Secretary for Health, the Head of Hospitals, and the District Health Officer (DHO) Islamabad.

“The success of this programme is not possible without public cooperation,” the minister said.

During the meeting, participants conducted a detailed review of the challenges facing Hepatitis C screening and elimination efforts.

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Kamal noted that Pakistan continues to bear a high burden of Hepatitis C cases and reaffirmed the government's commitment to eliminate the disease by mobilising all available resources.

“Effective measures must be accelerated to eliminate Hepatitis C,” he said, emphasizing the need to ensure screening of the maximum number of people.

Describing the eradication of Hepatitis C as a national cause, the minister directed hospital heads and health officials to intensify their efforts to ensure the success of the programme.

He also stressed the importance of timely referral and treatment of individuals who test positive, adding that early detection and intervention are critical to control the disease.

“Prevention is better than cure,” Kamal remarked.