Pakistan has used a high-level diplomatic event at the United Nations to call for stronger international cooperation to combat viral hepatitis, particularly hepatitis C, while new data from the World Health Organisation highlights the country’s disproportionately high share of the global disease burden.
The discussion took place during a strategic briefing co-hosted by Pakistan’s UN Mission and the Secretariat of the Group of Friends working to eliminate hepatitis, held alongside a UN health-related gathering focused on HIV/AIDS. The event brought together diplomats, public health experts, and government representatives to explore ways of advancing global efforts against hepatitis and building support for a possible UN High-Level Meeting on the disease in the coming years.
Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, reiterated the country’s commitment to eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat. He pointed to a government-backed national programme that provides free testing, diagnosis, and treatment, supported by an estimated $250 million partnership with the World Health Organisation. He added that the initiative is being overseen at the highest political level through a prime minister-led task force involving both local and international health experts.
The ambassador described the effort as science-driven and nationally coordinated, aimed at ensuring accountability and improving outcomes across the country.
The briefing also featured input from global health experts, including representatives of international hepatitis elimination networks, who reviewed current trends in infection rates and discussed gaps in global funding and political attention.
Recent findings from the WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026 show that Pakistan remains one of the most affected countries in the world. It is estimated to have around nine million people living with hepatitis C, making it the largest national contributor to global cases. The country also ranks among the top contributors to hepatitis-related deaths worldwide.
The report further notes that several countries, including Pakistan, account for a majority of global hepatitis C infections, with South Asia and parts of Africa carrying a particularly heavy burden.
Within Pakistan, infection rates vary significantly by region, with some provinces reporting notably higher prevalence than others, reflecting uneven access to prevention, screening, and healthcare services.
Despite the availability of effective treatments and cures, hepatitis continues to receive relatively limited global funding and policy focus compared to its impact, participants at the meeting observed. Delegates emphasized the need to elevate hepatitis on the international health agenda and strengthen financial and institutional commitments.
The session concluded with broad agreement among participating countries on the importance of sustained cooperation and advocacy to accelerate progress toward the global goal of eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
Representatives from multiple countries, including Pakistan, China, Brazil, and several others, took part in the meeting, reflecting growing international interest in coordinated action against the disease.
