Episode 30: Mashable Pakistan Lab – National Hepatitis C Hackathon 2021- Winners

An estimated 11 million people in Pakistan are suffering from Hepatitis C diseases and the number is increasing drastically every year. Moreover, Pakistan has the 2nd highest HCV prevalence in the world.

Hepatitis C is a disease that causes inflammation and infection of the liver. This condition develops following the transmission of the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The effects of this virus range in severity from a mild illness to a serious, lifelong illness including liver liver cirrhosis and cancer.

Major reasons of hepatitis C transmission is the exposure of blood to unsafe injection practices, unsafe health care, unscreened blood transfusions, injection drug use and sexual practices.

NIC Pakistan joined hands with various other organizations to organize a Hepatitis C hackathon to invite entrepreneurs, health-hackers, technology experts and medical students to share their ideas that can help in the eradication of this disease from the country.

Around 340 applications from more than 60 cities in three continents were received from SMEs, startups, and medical experts under thematic areas of prevention, detection, and management. While out of 18 SMEs shortlisted, three startups were crowned winners of the Hepatitis C hackathon, including SLOSH AI, Nano-Detectors and Screen Pakistan.

Mashable Pakistan talks to the Aiman Khan (founder of SLOSH AI) and Dr. Anam Munawar (founder of Nano-Detectors), about the causes and effects of hepatitis C spread in Pakistan and how technology can help in the quick eradication of this disease. Dr. Anam and Aiman Khan shared how their technology-rich projects can enhance the medical services for diagnosing the disease in the early stages in a human body.