Hepatitis B & C in Quetta — kala yarkan is treatable

Hepatitis B and C (known locally as kala yarkan) are viral infections of the liver, and they are common across Balochistan. Left untreated for years, they can silently damage the liver. But here is the truth many patients don’t know: modern oral medicines cure the majority of Hepatitis C cases, and Hepatitis B can be controlled so well that the liver stays protected for life.

Signs that need attention

• Constant tiredness or weakness without clear reason
• Yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice / yarkan)
• Dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea
• A positive screening test from any lab or blood-donation camp
• A family member or spouse diagnosed with hepatitis

Many patients have no symptoms at all — which is why testing matters if you’ve ever had a positive screen, a blood transfusion, or a family case.

What happens at the centre

Prof. Dr. Sherbat Khan — Balochistan’s former provincial focal person for the Hepatitis Control Programme — confirms the diagnosis with proper tests (available at the centre’s on-site laboratory), checks how the liver is coping, and starts the right treatment plan. Follow-up testing tracks the virus until it is cleared or fully controlled.

Protecting your family

Spouses and close family members are usually advised a simple screening test, and Hepatitis B vaccination protects those who are negative. The centre guides your whole family, not just the patient.

Prof. Dr. Sherbat Khan MandokhailFCPS (Medicine) · FCPS (Gastroenterology) · Former Professor & Head of Gastroenterology, BMCH Quetta · 36+ years’ experience · Also written “Dr. Sharbat Khan”

Frequently asked questions