ISLAMABAD, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged central and provincial governments and all stakeholders on Tuesday to work together to eradicate Hepatitis C from the country.
Speaking at a ceremony in capital Islamabad, which marked the successful completion of the pilot project of the Prime Minister's National Hepatitis C Elimination Program, Sharif underscored the importance of tackling the disease.
The prime minister highlighted the significant support from the World Health Organization (WHO) in the initiative, vowing that the program will be expanded across the country.
Sharif expressed confidence that with the incumbent government's efforts, Hepatitis C would soon be eradicated nationwide while emphasizing the need for urgent measures to control its spread.
On the occasion, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal highlighted the role of public-private partnerships in tackling the issue while announcing that the government had planned to eliminate the disease by 2029.
Addressing the gathering, WHO Representative in Pakistan Luo Dapeng reaffirmed the organization's commitment to supporting Pakistan's efforts to eradicate the disease.
