Keywords
viral hepatitis C; HCV elimination; WHO 2030 elimination targets; Brazil
Abstract
Introduction: Viral hepatitis C plays a negative role in Brazilian health systems. This study highlights this role along with strategies needed to work toward elimination of the virus through a reimplementation of a cost-effective national strategy.
Methods: A mathematical modeling approach was used [1] to understand the disease burden of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) after the removal of the national strategy and [2] to demonstrate the economic burden with reinstatement. Two scenarios were addressed within the model: reusing the national strategy (working toward World Health Organization 2030 elimination goals) and the baseline case in 2021, which mirrors the current HCV situation.
Results: With removing the plan, an additional 207,000 patients will be infected along with 12,600 more liver-related deaths by 2030. These results demonstrate the need for strategies to be reinstated to improve diagnosis and screening. Scaling up interventions will increase direct costs, but these expenses will decrease annually as elimination targets are met. This reduction is a result of preventing HCV liver morbidity, mortality and indirect costs showing policy intervention is cost-effective over time.
Conclusion: For Brazil to achieve HCV elimination by 2030, a national strategy needs to be put back into place. As it currently stands, the previous Hepatitis C Elimination Plan does not meet WHO elimination targets. Therefore, additional scaling up of treatment, diagnosis, and screening is needed meet the WHO goals. Our data show that attaining WHO-decreed HCV elimination by 2030 will not be achieved without reinstating a reimagined intervention.
Citation
Voeller AS, Razavi-Shearer D, Gamkrelidze I, Razavi H (2023) Reimplementation of a hepatitis C virus national strategy plan provides a cost-effective path forward to elimination of the virus in Brazil: An update on previous implications. SM J Infect Dis 6: 7.