Islamabad, May 1 (IANS) Pakistan is the single largest contributor to the global number of people living with hepatitis C, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Hepatitis Report 2026 has revealed. In addition, Pakistan has been named among the 10 nations which have most hepatitis C related deaths worldwide, sparking concerns over unsafe injections, reusable syringes and weak infection prevention measures in the country, local media reported.

According to the WHO report, hepatitis B and C are among the deadliest infections in the world despite being preventable and treatable while hepatitis C also being curable. As many as 287 million people were living in the world with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024, including 240 million with hepatitis B and 47 million with hepatitis C, Pakistan’s leading daily The News International reported.

As many as 1.34 million deaths occurred due to hepatitis B and C in 2024, including 1.1 million deaths from hepatitis B and 240,000 from hepatitis C, majority of them due to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. The two infections account for more than 95 per cent of viral hepatitis related deaths around the world.

The WHO report stated that Pakistan “stands out clearly” as the single largest contributor to the global number of people with hepatitis C infection. The report connected the global hepatitis C burden to transmission, unsafe medical practices, injecting drug and gaps in diagnosis and treatment.

This is especially important in Pakistan’s context as recent field reporting from various parts of the country found that banned reusable syringes and fake auto disable syringes were sold in the market, which experts stated can fuel transmission of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV when used repeatedly by unqualified practitioners, News International reported. Health experts termed the findings a warning for Pakistan, where unnecessary injections remain common, quackery is widespread and infection prevention practices are poorly implemented in healthcare settings.

–IANS

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