Galicia’s Hepatitis C Elimination Strategy has carried out 63,000 tests since January and found 83 cases of active infection

The strategy to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health problem in Galicia has carried out a total of 63,000 tests and identified 83 cases of active infection in our communities. Director of Public Health Carmen Durán stated this this morning before the 5th Council of Health, Social Policy and Employment; in which he assessed the first nine months of implementation.

According to the Director-General, one of the main measures of the strategy is the implementation of opportunistic population screening and the provision of tests for early detection of hepatitis C. Therefore, since the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Health has been proposing to carry out early detection of the virus gradually over three years for all people between 40 and 69 years of age, taking advantage of opportunities that arise when analytical tests are required for other reasons in health centers test.

In this sense, the target group in 2023 includes people aged 50-59, with plans to expand screening to people aged 60-69 in 2024 and to people aged 40-49 in 2025 .

Duran added that the overall goal of the strategy is to promote and coordinate the actions necessary to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health problem in our communities. To this end, the Ministry of Health develops actions affecting prevention, detection, epidemiological surveillance, treatment or training and research of the disease.

Its implementation guarantees that people with a positive hepatitis C result receive treatment within a maximum of 21 days, that ordering of tests and electronic notification of results are automated, in addition to systematic testing of pregnant women during pregnancy. first trimester of pregnancy.

This pioneering initiative, the result of a collaboration between the General Directorate of Public Health and Sergas, makes Galicia a model for the rest of the world to follow, providing an example and inspiration for Spain and the rest of Europe, as well as for other countries. Spanish Alliance for the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis. In addition, the plan launched by the Xunta health department will make it possible four years ahead of the target set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

New lines of work and improvement actions

The Directorate-General of Public Health continues to work on improvements in different aspects to optimize the diagnosis and identification of new cases of hepatitis C.

Among them, the Ministry of Health is using artificial intelligence and big data to develop algorithms with triple objectives. On the one hand, testing of persons with previously confirmed active infection but who have not received treatment; detection of positive cases whose viral load has not been measured and therefore unable to confirm or rule out active infection; and finally, detection of persons who have received interferon treatment regimens and who have not yet had a documented cure of patients.

Thanks to the information provided by these new technologies, all areas of healthcare will have a list of candidates who can be contacted to study their clinical situations and treatment recommendations (if applicable). The use of data will therefore allow us to improve epidemiological surveillance of this disease, actively search for new cases, and establish patterns and profiles that facilitate early detection or require screening of specific populations.

Another main focus of the Sunta health department is to increase testing of high-risk groups for the disease. Therefore, it is advancing programs to ensure testing and treatment of Galicia’s prison population; in addition to continuing to pay special attention to drug users, it is also continuing to implement syringe exchange programs or distribute condoms.

Carmen Durán concluded her speech by emphasizing the importance of raising awareness of this infection among citizens and professionals and highlighted the training actions carried out by Escola Galega de Saúde Pública.