Pakistan carries one of the world's heaviest hepatitis burdens — millions live with hepatitis B or C, and most feel completely healthy while the virus slowly scars the liver toward cirrhosis or cancer.
How it spreads here
Reused syringes and drips, unscreened blood transfusions, barber razors, ear/nose piercing, and dental work with unsterilized instruments. It does not spread by sharing food, hugging, or eating together.
Why testing is worth it
Screening (HBsAg for B, Anti-HCV for C) costs a few hundred rupees at labs nationwide. And the news on treatment is genuinely good: hepatitis C is now curable in 8–12 weeks with well-tolerated tablets available in Pakistan at low cost. Hepatitis B is controllable with medication, and a safe, effective vaccine (part of childhood EPI) prevents it entirely.
Get tested if you have ever
- Received a blood transfusion or surgery
- Used drips or injections at informal clinics
- Shaved at barbers with reused blades
- A family member with hepatitis
If positive, a doctor will order a PCR test to confirm active infection and start treatment. Insist on new syringes, everywhere, always — for yourself and your children.
Sources: WHO — Hepatitis C and Pakistan's PM National Hepatitis C Elimination Programme. This article is general guidance, not a diagnosis.