Georgia has an ambition to become the first country defeating hepatitis C by 2020
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In 2020, when the implementation of the strategy against Hepatitis C will be finalised, Georgia might become the first country successfully defeating the disease, Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze said today at an event devoted to World Hepatitis Day.
"This would be a unique success giving hope to other countries too that despite the complexity of the disease, proper strategy and public mobilisation makes it possible to defeat it,” PM Bakhtadze added.
He said Georgia has already made steps to address the disease and became ‘a unique country in the region and the whole world which succeeded’.
He has also expressed his gratitude towards US partners and Gilead, the company which produces Sofosbuvir and Harvoni, medicines for Hepatitis C.
In cooperation with Gilead Georgia has made treatment free for all citizens free while typically, the treatment cost may reach $100,000 per person, making it unaffordable for the majority of Georgians fighting against Hepatitis C.
"Almost one third of our population has gone through screening to prevent the disease. We would like to ensure that every citizen goes through screening procedures to become more effective in the process of fight against Hepatitis C,” PM Bakhtadze added.
According to three years results of the Hepatitis C elimination programme, 50,000 people are involved in the process currently and treatment rate is 98,2 percent.
Around 45,000 people have gone through medical treatment for Hepatitis C in Georgia, 98 percent of which were cured, the head of Georgia’s National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) Amiran Gamkrelidze said.
PM stresses Georgia’s “stunning achievements”
Today the world marks Hepatics Day in order to bring different people together under a single theme to raise awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis and to influence real change.
Georgia’s Health Ministry has launched a new campaigned titled Cure Yourself in order to encourage the people to be tested on Hepatitis C, as the disease has no symptoms until too late.
Those living in Georgia’s occupied regions but do not hold a Georgian passport will be able to benefit from the free Hepatitis C treatment program Georgia offers its citizens.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated that he is sure that Georgia will be become one of the first states worldwide which will manage to completely eradicate Hepatitis C.
The Ministry of Health of Georgia has been awarded a certificate of an exemplary country combating Hepatitis C by the European Association for the Study of the Liver and International Liver Foundation in Austria.
The prevalence of Hepatitis C has decreased by 67 percent in Georgia compared to previous years, Tamar Gabunia, the Georgian Deputy Health Minister, said on Thursday.
The United States will continue to support Georgian health authorities in their goal of achieving elimination of Hepatitis C and B in the country, the US Embassy to Georgia said on Monday.