On World Hepatitis Day, Guyana launched its first hepatitis C treatment program. With the technical cooperation and support of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Guyana is receiving rapid testing kits as well as life-saving medicines.
“Viral hepatitis remains a global public health threat and Guyana’s leadership is an opportunity to showcase the collaboration between national authorities, civil society and other stakeholders committed to its elimination,” Dr Luis Felipe Codina, the PAHO/WHO Representative in Guyana said.
Guyana’s new hepatitis C campaign, spearheaded by the Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony, is part of a global effort that comes after WHO Member States endorsed goals to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030. These commitments were renewed earlier this year in the new Global Health Sector Strategies (GHSS) on HIV, STI and Viral Hepatitis by the World Health Assembly.
“In Guyana, data on hepatitis is primarily available from among blood donors, dialysis patients, and to some degree among HIV/STI patients,” said Dr Rainier Escalada, a PAHO Advisor on Health Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control who is working on the rollout of medicines for approximately 600 hepatitis C patients at the start of the campaign in Guyana.
Hepatitis is the general medical term for an inflammation of the liver, for which there are many causes. Viral transmission, such as for hepatitis B or C infections, takes up a significant share of cases and mortality globally. It is estimated that 57 percent of cases of liver cirrhosis and 78 percent of cases of primary liver cancer are due to hepatitis B or C.
“Programs that aim to eliminate hepatitis B and C have been irregular across the world, which is why amplifying access to treatment, such as Guyana is doing, is of utmost importance,” Dr Leandro Sereno, Advisor for Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control at PAHO said. Many people do not know they have the disease, and consequently do not seek treatment, but “timely vaccination, testing and treatment can prevent illness and deaths.”
A new-born that is vaccinated against hepatitis B in the first 24 hours of life will have lifelong protection. And while there is currently no vaccine against hepatitis C, which is a blood-borne infection, an effective (90 percent) cure comes in the form of a three-month medical treatment consisting of orally ingested tablets.
High cost and a complex patent protection system, however, make hepatitis C treatment prohibitive for many countries in the region, but PAHO has been able to facilitate access to several countries.
“Through the PAHO Strategic Fund, we are pleased to have aided Guyana in obtaining good quality rapid diagnostic tests and life-saving medicines for hepatitis C at a significantly lower cost,” Dr Codina said.