We are getting closer to eliminating hepatitis C, but there is still a long way to go.from Direct-acting antivirals to arrive in 2015the efforts of all those involved in the treatment of this disease have been extraordinary and have yielded unprecedented results in disease management.
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Congress of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), which confirmed that Spain remains a leader in eliminating hepatitis C, not only in terms of quantity, but also in the quality of the strategies implemented.Since 2015, we have successfully treated 160,000 people and we estimate About 20,000 to 30,000 people still have HCV (HCV) in Spain. Therefore, we must continue to work hard and improve the strategy that we have been executing so far: to facilitate diagnosis and facilitate the entire process from the moment the disease is discovered until the patient completes the treatment.
In order to achieve this goal, first of all, everyone must take an exam once in their life. The difference between having hepatitis C and not knowing you have it is so big it can put your life at risk, knowing hepatitis C and curing yourself within two or three months will have no ill effects , which is why having a hepatitis C antibody test is critical.Against this backdrop, and to facilitate access to testing, we launched this year the project promotionwhich provides diagnostic tests for diseases to screen people who have difficulty accessing the health system.
On the other hand, we have Responsible for the hospital accreditation process In “The Ten Commandments for Excellence in Executing Hepatitis C Elimination.” I think this is an absolutely important factor because it develops in a clear, precise and focused way, what has to be considered at the hospital level in order to eliminate it. Fortunately, in Spain, there is a lot of evidence of how we have to deal with this fact, and with the Ten Commandments we will demonstrate whether hospitals are thinking about finding and treating patients.
“By 2030, we will seek to reduce the death rate by 65%”
I think it’s very important for Spanish Hepatology to be accredited and have a track record that we’re doing the right thing and that we’re going to address a critical issue that’s being eliminated in hospitals and health fields across the country.we have spent many years Committed to Finding and Treating All People with Hepatitis Cthe role of these certifications is nothing more than to value this work and give us the motivation we need to face the final stage.
Liver disease is characterized by high prevalence and a growing cause of death, while also being preventable, for most people we have effective treatments. Starting from this point, we insist on starting from AEEH to identify common hidden liver diseases. For this, the ideal would be to implement a national liver health strategy that implements preventive measures, early diagnosis and treatment for all Spaniards with liver disease and somehow stops it becoming a growing cause of death in Spain. world.
On this occasion world hepatitis dayIn light of the events of July 28th, we will continue to deliver the message to the general public so that we can work together to move forward and eliminate the virus. HCV is curable, easy to detect, and the drug is safe and effective. The detected patients are the cured patients. So, as I mentioned, our goal is for the entire adult population to be tested for hepatitis C at least once in their lifetime and, of course, to ensure that everyone who tests positive gets the most appropriate treatment. Learn about quality treatment in Hepatology and access to the best medicines.
I am confident that we will achieve the goals set by the World Health Organization to reduce the death rate from hepatitis C by 65%, reduce new cases by 90%, and achieve a cure rate of more than 80% by 2030.Finally, I must congratulate all those involved for a tremendous amount of work during such a complex time, but Fighting hepatitis is a medical success story This opens the door to addressing and eliminating other conditions in the future.