World marked Hepatitis Day
By Messenger Staff
Tuesday, August 1
Last week, the world marked Hepatitis Day, an illness which claims many lives on a daily basis.
Georgia was among the countries which had a large number of people suffering from the illness but with no money to treat the decease.
In 2015, the government of Georgia launched a large-scaled Hepatics C Elimination Programme to defeat the illness with US support.
Since 2015, more than 43,000 people have been registered with the Hepatitis C Program.
More than 40,000 have already received free treatment with modern medicines.
About 32,000 patients have already completed treatment.
Up to 98% of people treated have been cured of the decease.
Georgia had one of the highest estimated virus prevalence rates in the world, affecting 6.7 percent of the population.
The cost of the whole five year 2015-2020 strategic plan of the Hepatic C Elimination Program was $50 million.
Of this, the state budget allocated $25 million while the remaining $25 million came from donors.
In partnership with an American company, Gilead, Georgia launched the large-scale Hepatitis C Elimination Program in 2015. The program aimed to make Georgia a Hepatitis C-free country by 2020.
Now Gilead provides Georgia with Harvoni, the most modern medicine available used to treat the illness.
Typically, Harvoni cost €110,000 per person for one course of treatment.
The Hepatics C Program and the government’s efforts in this regard can only be praised, as the program managed to save many lives.
If the government continues its effective control over medical institutions and beauty salons it will be more welcomed. It has been maintained that stomatology facilities and beauty salons are main sources of spreading the illness among Georgian population.
