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Expanding access to treatment for hepatitis C in resource-limited settings: lessons from HIV/AIDS.

Ford N, Singh K, Cooke GS, Mills EJ, von Schoen-Angerer T, Kamarulzaman A, du Cros P

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  • Journal Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America

  • Published 19 Mar 2012

  • Volume 54

  • ISSUE 10

  • Pagination 1465-72

  • DOI 10.1093/cid/cis227

Abstract

The need to improve access to care and treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in resource-limited settings is receiving increasing attention. Key priorities for scaling up HCV treatment and care include reducing the cost of current and future treatment; simplifying the package of care; identifying opportunities to shift specific tasks to nonspecialists to overcome human resource constraints; service integration with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clinics, prison health services, and needle syringe and oral substitution therapy programs; improving surveillance, monitoring, and research; encouraging patient and community engagement; focusing specifically on the needs of vulnerable groups; and increasing financial and political commitment. Many of these obstacles have been addressed in rolling out treatment for human immunodeficiency virus during the last decade, and a number of lessons can be drawn to help improve access to HCV care.