Unsafe care drives Pakistan's hidden hepatitis crisis, PMA warns

10m have Hepatitis C and 44% of new global infections from unsafe injections occur in the country

IV Report

KARACHI: On World Hepatitis Day, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) warned that unsafe medical practices are driving Pakistan’s hepatitis epidemic, leaving millions undiagnosed and at risk of fatal liver disease.

With no recent official yearly or quarterly government update available, PMA relied on WHO global estimates to highlight the scale of the problem. According to those figures, Pakistan carries the heaviest Hepatitis C burden in the world with an estimated 10 million people living with chronic HCV. Combined with 3.8 million people living with Hepatitis B, a total of 13.8 million Pakistanis are living with chronic viral hepatitis.

The human cost is steep. Liver cirrhosis and liver cancer linked to hepatitis claim more than 37,000 lives in Pakistan every year. National prevalence is estimated at 4.8% to 7.5% for Hepatitis C and 1.1% to 1.7% for Hepatitis B.

But PMA said the bigger concern is transmission inside the healthcare system. Citing WHO data, the association noted that Pakistan accounts for nearly 44% of all new global Hepatitis C infections caused by unsafe medical injections. Out of roughly 110,000 new infections each year, 62% are linked to unsafe procedures including reused syringes, IV drips and unscreened blood in unregulated blood banks. Another 38% are tied to injection drug use.


Transmission is also happening through unsterile tools at barbers and tattoo shops, poorly sterilised surgical and dental equipment, and quackery by unlicensed practitioners. PMA added that coverage of the Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine, due within 24 hours of birth, remains low.

The result is a massive diagnosis gap. Only 25% to 30% of infected people know their status, meaning 70% to 75% remain undiagnosed and untreated, risking liver failure and cancer while unknowingly spreading the virus.

PMA Secretary General Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro said the association is calling for five urgent steps: a nationwide shift to single-use auto-disable syringes and stricter regulation of blood banks; expansion of screening at BHUs and RHCs to push diagnosis above 30%; full implementation of the Prime Minister’s National Programme to test 82.5 million people and treat 5 million by 2027; 100% coverage of the Hepatitis B birth-dose; and sustained public awareness that Hepatitis C is 100% curable with a 12-week oral treatment and Hepatitis B is preventable through vaccination.

“We have the science, accurate diagnostics, and low-cost curative oral medications right here in Pakistan,” Dr Shoro said. “What we must break down is systemic neglect, unsafe practices, and public hesitation. By integrating prevention and testing into primary care today, a hepatitis-free Pakistan by 2030 is fully within our reach.”

Photos courtesy: HP&CP Sindh 

With an uninterrupted 23-year career in daily journalism (1991-2013), the author/editor of this blog currently serves as Editor of Social Track, a weekly newspaper focused on social sectors, based in Karachi. Holding a master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of Karachi (1990), his professional experience includes roles as senior reporter at Daily Dawn, Karachi (May 2001-August 2013) and Chief Reporter at The News International, Karachi (April 1991-May 2001). He has a strong background in development journalism, he has an extensive portfolio of news stories, analytical reports and features covering a wide range of sectors. He has had the privilege of covering numerous high-profile figures, including Pakistani presidents, prime ministers, army chiefs, foreign dignitaries, and VVIPs and attending conferences and workshops abroad. He began his journalism career in the early 1980s. Throughout his career, he has received several national awards from government and private organisations. He has contributed to various radio and TV/channel broadcasts and has also served as a trainer at workshops in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, focused on training journalists.

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