Pakistan has the highest number of hepatitis C cases in the world, as per a startling announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO), which states that 8.8 million people have been infected with it worldwide.
This only confirms that Pakistan accounts for 44% of all new hepatitis C infections resulting from unsanitary medical injections. ”Its a very sad state of affairs,” says Dr Irfan Ahmed of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.
”As a responsible state, we should invest more on heathcare to counter it,” he adds.
It is evident from this report that Pakistan lacks proper health and hygiene practices; thus, it tells us of what matters to its leadership concerning public health issues.
In terms of combined hepatitis B and C incidents, Pakistan is ranked fifth globally after China, India, Indonesia and Nigeria with an approximate 12.6 million cases registered in 2022.
Egypt has traditionally had the greatest number of hepatitis C and B occurrences followed closely by Pakistan but such dismal statistics have just changed based on fresh data from one hundred eighty-seven countries showing a gloomy picture with deaths due to viral hepatitis increasing from an estimated amount of 1.1 million in 2019 to around 1.3 million in 2022 around the world.
Out of these deaths, Hepatitis B accounted for as many as eighty three percent whilst Hepatitis C caused seventeen percent.
The WHO’s Global Hepatitis Report 2024 highlights ten countries responsible for almost two-thirds of global viral hepatitis B and C burdens—Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Philippines and Russian Federation being among them. Egypt notably made it into pat’s gold tier achievement list.
Experts in Pakistan emphasize the urgent need to prioritize the availability of clean drinking water to improve the country’s ranking.
