The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) yesterday launched a Hepatitis C programme which will see patients receiving the necessary treatment and care free of cost.
The programme will be rolled out next Wednesday and the clinic will be housed at the National Care and Treatment Centre.
According to the Mayo Clinic website, Hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage.
Delivering the feature address at the launch yesterday afternoon at the Marriott Hotel, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony said that the early introduction of treatment can lead to prevention. “By introducing this treatment early we can prevent someone, years down the road from getting cancer,” he said.
Years ago, Anthony said the cost for medication per patient was approximately US$2000. However, with the collaboration with PAHO, Anthony said the cost has been reduced to US$160 per patient. “When you compare 2000 and 160 (US$) that’s a big drop,” he noted.
Already, medication has been purchased for some 600 Hepatitis C patients, Anthony said. “In this instance with Hep C medication, they have been able to work with the manufacturer to get (a) preferential price and we have been able to benefit from that preferential price,” Anthony said.
Viral hepatitis includes five distinct diseases caused by five different viruses. The different viruses are Hepatitis A-E.
Anthony said that work has commenced to ensure that the transmission of Hepatitis B is prevented with the intention to ensure that there is coverage for every citizen across the country.
“So I think we have a very strong programme when it comes to Hepapitis B and we would want to work to ensure that all those indicators that the WHO have set that we have been able to meet them and even exceed them before the timelines that the WHO has set,” Anthony said.
Hopefully, this would place Guyana on the trajectory to eliminate Hepatitis B, Anthony said.
However, he described Hepatitis C as a “different challenge”.
Over the last couple weeks, Anthony said persons from the database were called and invited to the clinic. “We have started a process of retesting them and once they test positive we now have an algorithm that we have put together to ensure that we can offer them treatment,” he explained.
If the need arises, he said the clinic space and hours can be extended to accommodate everyone in need of the treatment. “So I think because of this kind of collaborative effort we are able to do something that just a couple months ago would have been impossible,” Anthony said.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 350 million people are living with this disease globally.
In his address, PAHO/WHO Representative to Guyana, Dr Luis Codina said there are a lot of Hepatitis C patients who are yet to be diagnosed. “I think these two very important tools, the medicine and the tests will change the history of the Hepatitis C in this country and maybe in other countries in the region,” he said.
Codina lauded the Government for its leadership in combatting the disease and most importantly for laying the foundation for disease elimination that will benefit citizens now and in the future.
