Geneva – On the eve of World Hepatitis Day, Unitaid joins the global health community in reaffirming its strong commitment to eliminating hepatitis C by 2030. Bringing care closer to communities will be a key component in the fight against the viral disease, which affects an estimated 58 million people worldwide and can result in life-threatening health problems.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major global health concern, accounting for nearly 300,000 deaths each year.

Unitaid and partners are working together to devise the best strategies with the highest impact for HCV prevention among some of the most marginalized and vulnerable populations, aiming to reduce HCV morbidity and mortality and contributing to achieving the global targets for HCV elimination.

Despite progress in the hepatitis C response — mainly through an effective cure, simplified testing, and increased awareness — new infections remain high with about 1.5 million new infections per year.

Globally, up to 40% of new HCV infections occur among people who inject drugs. HCV is also a major concern for people detained in prisons; one in four detainees are HCV-positive, and access to prevention, testing and treatment remains uneven.

Reducing HCV infection among key populations is therefore essential to achieve elimination targets.

To that end, Unitaid launched a call for proposals in mid-December 2021 to support person-centered approaches for the prevention and treatment of HCV infection for people who inject drugs and people in prison, facilitating integration of services in community harm-reduction settings and prisons. Proposals were expected to include key prevention interventions and HCV testing and treatment. The work aims to increase the impact of harm-reduction services through the introduction of innovative or under-used products.

This critical step towards HCV elimination reflects the bedrock of Unitaid’s new Strategy 2023-2027, which is to support community-led approaches and equitable access to innovative tools and interventions, including for the most marginalized and vulnerable.

Additional Unitaid-funded work will accelerate the uptake of new tools like HCV self-tests and point-of-care diagnostics. Unitaid is also investing in the development of new products such as long-acting versions of medicines to cure hepatitis C.

Since 2015, Unitaid’s US$ 50 million in investments have played a key role in increasing awareness of HCV as a global health priority, contributing to creating the conditions and tools to facilitate wider access to HCV testing and treatment with new and simpler diagnostics, innovative models for screening and treatment, and cost-reduction strategies.

Chronic HCV infection can result in life-threatening health problems like cirrhosis and liver cancer. In most cases hepatitis C can be cured by direct-acting antiviral drugs in 8 to 12 weeks. Today, in many low- and middle-income countries, the cost of an HCV cure is less than US$ 100 per person. There is currently no effective vaccine against hepatitis C.

For more information:

Sarah Mascheroni

mascheronisa@unitaid.who.int

For media requests:

Maggie Zander

Communications officer

M: +41 79 593 17 74

zanderm@unitaid.who.int