Hepatitis C

• According to the World Health Organization, Egypt became the first country to achieve “gold tier” status on the path to elimination of hepatitis C as per the global health body criteria.
• The “gold tier” status to reach the stated goal of eliminating hepatitis C includes meeting specific criteria such as-
  • ensuring 100% blood and injection safety, maintaining a minimum of 150 needles/syringes per year for people who inject drugs (PWID),
  • diagnosis of over 80% of people living with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV),
  • treating of over 70% of individuals diagnosed with HCV, and
  • the establishing of a sentinel surveillance programme for hepatitis sequelae, including liver cancer.
• Egypt had undertaken the “100 Million Healthy Lives” initiative. Through this initiative, Egypt “significantly reduced the prevalence of hepatitis C from 10% in 2016 to 5% in 2018 and an estimated less than 1% in 2019”.

ABOUT HEPATITIS C

• Hepatitis C is a viral infection that affects the liver.
• It can cause both acute (short term) and chronic (long term) illness.
• It is caused by a group of viruses known as the “hepatotropic” (liver directed) viruses, including A, B, C, D and E.
• Transmission- The most common route of virus spread is through unsafe injection practices such as sharing needles, syringes, or any other equipment to inject drugs.
  • Unscreened blood and blood products and inadequate sterilisation of medical equipment in health-care settings are other two important routes of virus transmission.
• There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, but it can be treated with antiviral medications.
• Effective vaccine is although, available for Hepatitis A and B.
• Also, Hepatitis A and E are self-limiting diseases (i.e. go away on their own).