et answers: How did Egypt manage to eliminate Hep. C?

CAIRO – 7 July 2021: Egypt was one of the countries mostly affected by hepatitis c, a viral infection causing inflammation of the liver, until it started an effective treatment program in 2014.

The country has been praised worldwide for its treatment program that seeks to eliminate the disease after it has been one of Egypt’s significant public health challenges. Hep. C comes as part of Egypt’s Egypt’s 2030 sustainable development vision, rendering Egypt a role model for other countries facing the same challenge.  

In the below lines, et answers the question: how Egypt managed to eliminate Hep. C:

A campaign was launched to eradicate the virus through importing medication from the United States, and then locally producing it.

Since 2014, Egypt has increased the services provided to eliminate HCV following President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s initiative to treat 1 million HCV-infected patients annually. In 2014, a number of Egyptian companies started manufacturing local medications similar to Sovaldi to increase the chances of survival among infected patients by 90 percent. The waiting lists of patients were ended for the first time.

Furthermore, Egypt provided all local and international medications through the medical insurance and established treatment centers for patients in various governorates. The state also encouraged civil society organizations to provide services to HCV patients.

A report by the State Information Service (SIS) stated that in 2008, the rate of the virus prevalence reached 27.4 percent in the age group from 55 to 59 years old. In 2015 the rate was 22.3 percent, the number of people infected with hepatitis B virus estimated to be about 800,000 people, and the number of people infected with hepatitis C virus is estimated to be about 3.6 million.

In 2015 (within the age group from 1 to 59 years), the rate of hepatitis B infection was 1 percent and the rate of hepatitis C infection was 4.4 percent.

For many years, Hep. C was one of Egypt’s most significant public health challenges, with an estimated 8-10 million persons or 10 percent of the population living with the infection.

Hepatitis C is transmitted through unexamined blood transfusions, multiple uses of syringes, reusing medical equipment, poor sterilization and sexual intercourse, according to the WHO.