Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Poly Clinic, two major public sector hospitals, are running without the facility of Polymerise Chain Reaction Machine (PCR) for conducting hepatitis tests, thus forcing poor patients of hepatitis-B and C to get the diagnostic tests done from private labs charging heavy fees.
The two forms of PCR tests, known as qualitative and quantitative, are prerequisites to diagnosis and treatment. In the absence of this particular test facility in two major hospitals, mostly catering to the poor, patients are referred to the Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI) and other private labs.
In NORI the PCR qualitative test costs Rs 10,000 and the quantitative test costs Rs 4,000, which is unaffordable for a patient whose monthly income is Rs 5,000 or less. Hence deserving patients are referred to Pakistan Baitul Maal for financial grants, which always take a long time, forcing many patients to leave the treatment process midway.
The PIMS administration has failed to install the PCR machine worth Rs 15 million. On special directives of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani earlier, PIMS was allocated the amount for the purchase of the PCR machine, however, the issue is still pending. A modern PCR machine was supposed to be installed in PIMS Pathology Department, however, the administration later decided that instead of getting another PCR machine, it should utilise the existing PCR machine meant for HIV and AIDS patients.
The same machine can be used for the two Hepatitis tests with additional paraphernalia. However, there is still no progress on the matter and thousands of patients suffering from hepatitis B and C are forced to consult private labs or wait for financial grants from the Pakistan Baitul Maal.
It was expected that the facility would be made available to patients within a month and test would be conducted free of cost for federal government employees and deserving patients. PIMS was to become the first public sector hospital to offer this facility, but neither PIMS nor Federal Government Services Hospital (FGSH) has acquired the equipment for the purpose so far.
According to a rough estimate, around 10 million people in Pakistan have hepatitis and the current estimated prevalence of Hepatitis B and C is three to four percent (7.5 million infections). Consultant Pathologist Dr Shagufta Hussain said, “Almost two ago, we sent a proposal to the Ministry of Health for the installation of the hepatitis kit on the PCR machine available at PIMS for HIV and AIDS patients, but unfortunately, we got no response from the ministry.”
She said things would drag on as the concerned ministry had been devolved and the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) would take time to understand the administrative issues at PIMS.
