LAHORE, (Pakistan Point News - 4th August, 2016) : Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said on Friday Joint and integrated efforts of government, private sector, civil society as well as media are required to eliminate Hepatitis from the country. These views were expressed while addressing a launching ceremony of Volunteer Force Against Hepatitis Transmission (VFAHT) by Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant & Research Institute (PKLI) held here.
Salman said that launching of the VFAHT was a revolutionary step to combat hepatitis, adding the students of medical colleges and other educational Institutions who have become the members of the volunteer force would build an embankment against the spread of this deadly virus. He informed that so far 1500 students of 28 medical colleges/ universities had got registered with the volunteer force. Khawaja Salman Rafique said the Punjab government was making legislation for safe blood transfusion.
He said that hepatitis B&C are also called blood borne diseases therefore, substandard blood banks who are working without proper facilities would not be allowed to exist. "They have to come up with the standards of a quality blood bank," he added. He said that strict punishment and heavy fine is being introduced in the new Act. Chairman PKLI Professor Dr Saeed Akhtar said on the occasion that Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif is taking personal interest for the establishment the PKLI in Lahore for which the Chief Minister has allocated 50 acres land where a state-of-the-art institute is being constructed at a cost of Rs 15 billion. He said that elimination of hepatitis from Pakistan is our mission and the volunteer force of youth would help to fulfil this mission. Chairman VFAHT Dr Samer Shafi also addressed the ceremony.
