After her husband passed away, Sakina and her four kids moved from interior Sindh to her sister’s home in Karachi. But soon after the move, Sakina’s son was diagnosed with Hep C, and she too began suffering from dizzy spells, joint pain, and fevers. Fortunately, Sakina’s employer knew of Behbud’s new Hep C treatment facility and took both Sakina and her son, Basharan, to Shirin Jinnah for treatment.
Behbud’s facility includes all diagnostic tests and 3-6 months of treatment at no cost. Treatment now consists of oral medication, which has a 98% success rate, instead of previous, more expensive injections.
After three months, Sakina’s son was cured of the disease, and he is now working as a wallpaper apprentice in Jamaa Cloth and hopes to take Behbud’s electrician course one day. Sakina is currently in the 5th month of her 6-month treatment course, and her health has improved significantly and continues to do so.
It is estimated that almost 20 million people are suffering from Hep B & Hep C in Pakistan, with 150,000 new patients being added to this number each year. Thankfully, because of Behbud’s dedication, Basharan and Sakina will no longer be part of this number.