Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination has made HIV and Hepatitis B and C screening mandatory before all surgical and invasive medical procedures across the country.
The ministry issued directives for the immediate implementation of infection prevention and control measures to help curb the spread of HIV and hepatitis infections.
According to an official notification, Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal took serious notice of the increasing spread of Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the country.
The notification said all public and private hospitals, as well as healthcare facilities, must adopt strict preventive and precautionary measures, with special emphasis on infection prevention and control protocols.
The federal health ministry has directed provincial governments, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan authorities to ensure immediate compliance with the new screening requirements.
Under the directive, hospitals and healthcare centers must conduct HIV 1 and 2 Antibody Tests through Rapid or ELISA methods, Hepatitis B screening through HBsAg, and Hepatitis C screening through Anti-HCV before performing any invasive or surgical procedure.
The ministry clarified that the requirement applies to both major and minor surgeries, along with any medical procedure that involves the insertion of surgical instruments into the body.
Healthcare facilities will also be responsible for providing counseling and guidance to individuals who test positive for HIV or hepatitis, the notification added.
Emergency letters regarding the implementation of the policy have been sent to provincial chief secretaries, federally administered hospitals, District Health Officer offices, and the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority.
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