Lahore: Lahore General Hospital (LGH) organised a hepatitis awareness walk on Wednesday as part of a determined campaign to eliminate the disease from Punjab under the health vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. The walk was led by Principal of Ameer-ud-Din Medical College, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Farooq Afzal, and witnessed the participation of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff carrying placards highlighting the importance of early screening and prevention.
Addressing the participants and media, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Farooq Afzal said timely screening and early diagnosis remain the most effective tools to prevent hepatitis and reduce its devastating impact. He said LGH is providing free diagnostic and treatment facilities for hepatitis patients, including medical check-ups, laboratory tests, medicines and comprehensive care under the Punjab government’s healthcare initiatives. He reiterated that PGMI and LGH would continue their efforts until Punjab becomes a hepatitis-free province.
He called upon the media, civil society, healthcare institutions and the public to play an active role in creating awareness, saying that thousands of lives could be saved through timely diagnosis and preventive measures.
Prof. Dr. Ghiyas-un-Nabi Tayyab described hepatitis B and C as “silent killers,” explaining that the diseases often remain symptomless in their early stages. He urged every healthy individual to undergo regular screening and warned that hepatitis spreads through unsafe blood transfusions, reused syringes and non-sterile dental instruments.
Health experts said nearly 10 million Pakistanis are living with hepatitis B or C, while thousands die every year due to liver cancer and liver failure caused by the disease. They said common symptoms include persistent fatigue, weakness, jaundice, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, pain in the upper right abdomen and dark-coloured urine.
The experts stressed that hepatitis can largely be prevented through six-monthly screening, completion of the three-dose hepatitis B vaccination course, use of disposable syringes, transfusion of properly screened blood, avoiding the sharing of personal items such as razors, toothbrushes and nail cutters, and ensuring that circumcision and dental procedures are carried out only at certified healthcare facilities. They also emphasised the need for strict monitoring of beauty salons to prevent the spread of infections.
Medical Superintendent LGH, Prof. Dr. Faryad Hussain, said the hospital’s dedicated hepatitis clinic is fully operational and providing free testing and treatment facilities to patients.
At the conclusion of the event, Associate Prof. Dr. Ghiyas-ul-Hassan thanked the organisers, participants and media representatives for supporting the awareness campaign. He said public awareness remains the strongest weapon against hepatitis and affirmed that PGMI and LGH would continue organising such initiatives until Punjab is free from the disease.
The awareness walk was attended by Prof. Dr. Ghiyas-un-Nabi Tayyab, Medical Superintendent Prof. Dr. Faryad Hussain, Dr. Ghiyas-ul-Hassan, Dr. Shafqat Rasool, Dr. Waqas Shabbir, Dr. Abdul Aziz, Dr. Mukarram Bajwa, along with a large number of gastroenterology specialists, doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.