HEPATITISa silent killer in Pakistan
Within Pakistan almost 12 million people are suffering from Hepatitis B or C. Each year brings
about 150,000 new cases. The disease is called a silent killer because many patients remain undiagnosed and
untreated for many years before developing complications and dying.
As most people living with Hepatitis remain unaware, they could require repeated hospitalization, expensive
medicines and liver transplants, causing major financial burdens on their families as well as health
systems. In many cases, patients die within 1-3 years as they get the access to testing and treatment very
late. According to WHO, 23,720 people died of Hepatitis-related causes in Pakistan in 2016.