Message by Chairman

Liver disease due to chronic Hepatitis B & C is the most common cause of cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the world. Whereas the developed countries have nearly handled it well and are expected to overcome the menace in a decade time, our country is far from even curtailing it.

A strong political will and collaborative effort on part of the government functionaries and NGOs’ are required to reduce the number of a new case entering an already huge pool of patients. It is also desired to identify cases of viral hepatitis at the treatable stage so that the disease is eradicated and patients prevented from entering advanced/end-stage liver disease.

Board of Trustees of Liver Foundation Trust realized it a few years back and channelized most of their resources into the preventive aspects of the disease. Thus awareness and free screening camps have been carried out in and around Faisalabad now for almost 15 days.

We at Liver Centre recognize the fact that the pool of chronic hepatitis B & C is huge and the experts are few. So with the help of hepatologist colleagues from different parts of the country, we have devised a comprehensive program of capacity building of primary care physicians. Mapping of doctors to get them trained systematically regarding other problems and liver-related problems.

I congratulate all trustees and patrons, in particular, Sheikh Ashfaq Ahmed for getting Liver Centre state of the art Fibroscan. The machine has been helping us a lot in knowing the stage of the disease, decision making regarding treatment and monitoring the prognosis. The additional facility of CAP will help to diagnose NAFLD, supposedly they would No.1 cause of chronic liver disease.

I take this opportunity to thank all trustees, friends of Liver Centre and donors for their generous help to ensure that Liver Centre remains functional. Their continued involvement and financial assistance will help us to meet present and future challenges in the field of Hepatology in a better way. May Almighty Allah be pleased with all of us.

Prof.Dr.Zahid Yasin Hashmi