Sergeenko: Hepatitis C Cure Rate in Georgia Is Above 98%
The Minister of IDPs, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Davit Sergeenko says that the Hepatitis C cure rate is more than 98% in Georgia.
The Minister noted that the Hepatitis C Elimination program in Georgia has been very successful, giving people an opportunity to be cured of the disease for free.
"Even those who were not cured have been provided with a new generation of medicines, and they are undergoing the treatment again,” said the Minister, adding that about 1000 patients get involved in the project in every month.
Sergeenko said that in order to reduce the disease rate in the country, the objectives are divided into three directions:
- 90% of adults should undergo screening, which is a simple test
- Of those who underwent screening and need treatment, at least 90% should be involved in the program
- From the 90% involved in treatment, at least 95% should be cured
The Minister noted there have been over 2 million screening tests conducted in Georgia.
On February 11 a regional consultation meeting branded as 'Achievements Towards Elimination of Hepatitis C' was opened in Georgia.
The two-day regional consultation meeting, being held in Tbilisi under the aegis of the World Health Organization (WHO), is attended by officials from Ministries of Health of various countries, European Commission, UN system agencies, WHO HQ and regional offices, professional associations and leading experts. The meeting aims to review and exchange information on the progress and challenges of participating countries towards combatting Hepatitis C.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, delivered a speech at the opening, stating that Georgia will become a country which fully defeats Hepatitis C.
He recalled the findings of the study carried out in Georgia in 2015, which made it clear that almost 8% of the population in Georgia was infected with Hepatitis C.
"Today we may say with great pride that tens of thousands of our citizens formerly infected with Hepatitis C have been fully cured with government support. Some time ago, this diagnosis was perceived as a verdict in Georgia and it was impossible to combat it with household savings. We have had tremendous success. The negative test indicator is 98% on average. We will not spare time and efforts in the future for the ultimate eradication of the disease. I am confident that Georgia will become one of the first countries to fully combat Hepatitis C,” he stated.
The health initiative ‘Georgia without Hepatitis C’ was launched nationwide in April 2015, when the Government of Georgia and an American biotechnology company, Gilead, signed a memorandum of understanding.
The project helps to reduce and prevent cases of Hepatitis C in Georgia. The main goal of the project is to stop the disease from spreading. The treatment is free of charge for all citizens of Georgia.
By Thea Morrison