Call-to-Action to Advance Progress Towards Viral Hepatitis Elimination
A Focus on Simplified Approaches to HCV Testing and Cure
Approximately 71 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) making it one of the world’s most common infectious diseases and public health threats. The epidemic continues to grow, with 1.75 million new infections annually. In 2016, the World Health Assembly ─ the forum through which the World Health Organization (WHO) is governed by 194 member states─initiated a worldwide goal for HCV elimination, defined as a reduction in HCV related mortality by 65 percent and new incidences by 80 percent by 2030. According to WHO, only 12 countries are on track to meet this goal.
We can turn this around.
In collaboration with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), four hepatology societies – American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), Asian-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) and Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver (ALEH) – have committed to a global call-to-action initiative to simplify hepatitis C testing and treatment. We encourage you to join us.
As physicians, clinicians and frontline health care providers, we have more to do. Together, we can get on track to eliminate HCV by 2030 by employing four clinical strategies:
- Simplification of diagnostic and treatment algorithms.
- Integration of HCV treatment with primary care and other disease programs.
- Decentralization of HCV services to local level care.
- Task-Sharing of HCV care with front-line providers.
Full Call-to-Action Document
November 8, 2019 Press Release
Make the commitment to adopt these strategies and make the changes needed to move us closer to HCV elimination globally.
