Pakistan's Ambitious Vision: Eliminating Hepatitis by 2030 and Forging Global Alliances for Health Security

"Pakistan's Pledge to Eliminate Hepatitis: Ambassador Masood Khan Outlines Ambitious Goals at UNGA78"

Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, Sardar Masood Khan, declared that Pakistan "remains steadfast in its dedication to addressing the challenge of hepatitis and achieving the World Health Organization's global elimination targets by 2030."

Updates to the National Strategic Framework, enhanced monitoring, increased hepatitis B birth dose immunization, increased HCV testing and treatment, and involvement of community-based groups are among his goals, he added.

These steps will ensure that hepatitis does not endanger public health by 2030.

At the United Nations Group of Friends to Eliminate Hepatitis' second annual meeting, which was held in conjunction with UNGA78, Ambassador Masood Khan spoke on behalf of Pakistan.

In addition to thanking the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination for calling the meeting, he noted that the Group of Friends' goals perfectly complemented UNGA 78's overarching theme, which focused on reestablishing global solidarity and building trust in order to advance the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals.

He said that the goals of the agenda were sustainability, progress, and peace for all.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, the US CDC, US Department of State, a number of ambassadors, and representatives from the member states. Dr. Khaled AbdelGhaffar, the health minister for Egypt,Dr. Ali Haji Adam, the Somalia's health minister, and Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, the health advisor to Ghana's president, the Portuguese Republic, and Uganda, and Dr. Ali Haji Adam were also present.

There was also Dr. Harvey Alter, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for identifying the hepatitis C virus.

The National Hepatitis Elimination Profile (N-HEP) Initiative will be launched in 2022, thanks to the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, and the Ambassador noted that Pakistan's government had set an ambitious goal for the program, hoping to screen and treat millions of hepatitis-affected individuals by 2030.

To ensure the success of its efforts to eradicate hepatitis, Masood Khan stated that Pakistan was dedicated to establishing reliable alliances on both a national and international level.

"Together, as a global community, we can and must eliminate hepatitis, securing a healthier future for all," he added at the end of his speech.