ENGLAND is on track to become one of the first countries in the world to eliminate Hepatitis C as a public health threat after a decade-long programme to provide life-saving treatment, the National Health Service (NHS) said on Tuesday.
NHS England said more than 100,000 people have been diagnosed and treated for Hepatitis C since pioneering antiviral drugs were rolled out in 2015.
Treatment involves a free course of antiviral tablets lasting eight to 12 weeks, which the NHS says cures more than 95 per cent of cases.
"We are making significant progress towards eliminating Hepatitis C as a public health threat," said Dr Sema Mandal, Deputy Director – Blood Safety, Hepatitis, STIs and HIV Division at UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
"The sharp fall in cases since 2015 shows the impact of expanded testing and sustained access to modern curative treatments, and the commitment of health services and community partners across England.
"Treating over 100,000 people in just 10 years is a remarkable achievement and brings England closer than ever to becoming one of the first countries in the world to eliminate this disease as a public health threat,” she said.
Mandal said that while the number of people living with the virus continues to decline, it remains important that those most at risk are offered testing to prevent new infections.
The NHS this week urged people at greater risk of having undiagnosed Hepatitis C to order a free and confidential home-testing kit online. This includes people who have moved to England from certain Eastern European countries, those who have had a tattoo abroad, and those who use or have previously used injectable drugs.
Adults born in Ukraine, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czechia or Slovakia are being urged to test, as many could have been potentially infected through medical or dental procedures before 1991, when modern sterilisation standards were introduced.
"This is exactly the kind of preventative, forward-looking healthcare that we want the NHS to deliver across the board – catching illness earlier, easing pressure on hospitals, and giving people the chance to live longer, healthier lives,” said UK Health Secretary Yvette Cooper.
NHS England said that while Hepatitis C was once a life-limiting diagnosis, it is now a curable condition. Effective treatment is estimated to reduce the number of people needing liver transplants by 80 per cent over the next decade, while also cutting cases of liver cancer and cirrhosis.
"Hepatitis C can cause serious harm, including liver failure and cancer, yet many people live with it for years without knowing or having any symptoms at all until it's too late," said Professor Frankie Swords, NHS national medical director.
"That's why the NHS has worked hard alongside public health teams and charities to find and treat hidden cases, and it's really encouraging that over 100,000 people have now received potentially life-saving treatment in just a decade.
"With Hepatitis C curable in more than nine out of 10 cases, we are committed to finding and treating everyone who needs support and would urge those at greater risk to come forward by ordering a free and confidential home-testing kit online," he said.
Prof Swords said England is not only leading the world in the mission to eliminate the disease, but is also on course to beat the World Health Organisation's (WHO) target to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
Hepatitis C is a virus that can infect the liver and, if left untreated, can sometimes cause serious and potentially life-threatening liver damage. It often does not cause noticeable symptoms until the liver has already been significantly damaged, meaning many people can have the infection without realising it.
England claims to be one of a handful of countries globally to have already exceeded the WHO benchmark of treating 80 per cent of all known cases. Deaths from the virus have fallen by 36 per cent in the last 10 years.
The free NHS home-testing portal provides a confidential way to test without needing to speak to a doctor.
(With inputs from agencies)
