Current status of HCV elimination in Taiwan.

Abstract

The precision estimation on prevalence of anti-HCV was 2.86 % in Taiwan. Studies have shown that iatrogenic behavior was the major transmission route in geriatric patients. Moreover, it is highest in the specific groups including end stage renal disease during hemodialysis, human immunodeficiency virus infection, person who inject drug (PWID), and those under opioid substitution therapy. The estimated chronic hepatitis C (CHC; HCV RNA positive) patients were 188,126 who need to be treated. Taiwan has accelerated its efforts to eliminate HCV infection since 2017, and the government claims to reach the programmatic and impact targets set by WHO indicating HCV elimination by 2025. The most important and successful factor is government will. The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) conquer several barriers of diagnosis and linkage to care including finance a national program, implementing a harm reduction program, expanding treatment capacity beyond specialists, remove treatment restriction, implement monitoring and evaluation, implement awareness and national screening program and implement national link-to-care program during 2017-2024. Fortunately, the calculated diagnostic and treatment rates are 90.6 % and 92.8 % respectively in the general population and achieve full HCV elimination programmatic targets which is diagnostic rate >90 % and treatment rates >80 % based on the WHO definition.