Georgians to get Free Hepatitis C Treatment

By Dane Lorica, | October 26, 2016

Hepatitis-C Harvoni is set to be distributed for free for all Georgians.

Hepatitis-C Harvoni is set to be distributed for free for all Georgians.

Approximately 8 percent of Georgians have Hepatitis C, a blood-borne viral infection that can result in liver problems.

Georgia has a population of around 3.7 million, and with the high number of affected individuals, the country is planning to reduce the prevalence of the disease by 90 percent by the year 2020.

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In coordination with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Gilead Sciences, the Georgian government is set to introduce a drug that will give treatment to affected individuals.

Gilead Sciences is the supplier of Harvoni, a drug that cures hepatitis C and was approved in 2014. The pill containing sofosbuvir and ledipasvir would be given to Georgians free of charge.

David Sergeenko, Georgia's minister of labor, health and social affairs of the country, stated that all infected citizens will get the treatment for free.

"All obstacles and preconditions have been removed regarding free Hepatitis C treatment. If last year, in a month 700-800 patients were involved in the Hepatitis C Elimination Program, now the figure can extend to 5,000," he said.

Sergeenko emphasized that the government will not halt the program until the last infected person gets treated.

Georgia is the third country with the highest prevalence of Hepatitis C following Mongolia and Egypt.

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