Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir gave away free hepatitis C medicines to truck/bus drivers and cleaners at Sabzazar Truck Adda, Multan Road, here on Thursday.
The Punjab AIDS Control Programme (PACP) is providing free medicines of hepatitis C to bus and truck drivers testing positive during the ongoing screening drive for transporters across the province. Officials of the Punjab AIDS Control Programme and office bearers of Punjab Goods Transport Association and other notables of the area attended the event.
Khawaja Imran Nazir said, “As a minister, it is a matter of great pride that the PACP is serving the marginalised and neglected members of the society. Transport staff travels all the time, away from homes to earn a livelihood, and have fewer resources as well as little time for their health. The PACP team, headed by Dr Adnan Zafar Khan, has set a new precedent and I hope they will work with a missionary zeal,” he said.
PACP Programme Director Dr Adnan Zafar Khan in his message said, “The PACP is providing free of cost medication, treatment and counselling services to all HIV patients in Punjab as well as hepatitis C medicine to the bus/truck drivers and other high-risk groups like transgenders. “We are trying to reach out to marginalised groups to ensure no new persons are infected with HIV,” he added.
Punjab Goods Transport Association President Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali expressed gratitude to the government for taking care of bus and truck drivers. “Our association has extended support to the PACP in their camps throughout Punjab,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention here that the PACP has so far conducted testing of the truck, bus drivers in 11 districts, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Okara, Multan, Muzaffargarh, DG Khan, Rahimyar Khan and Sadiqabad.