Last month, the Government published its latest set of data on hepatitis C in England. Whilst there is still a lot of work to be done, this release demonstrates that we are still on track to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030.
The figures, which run up to the end of 2024, show that the number of chronic hepatitis C cases continued to decrease, with the total now estimated to be 50,200 – a fall of 61.1% from 2015.
This report provides a valuable opportunity for us to assess how we’re performing against the World Health Organisation’s elimination criteria – which the UK government has committed to reach by 2030.
For the first time this year, England has reached the HCV diagnosis target: 81.5% of people diagnosed with hepatitis C between 2015 and 2024 have started treatment, just over the 80% target.
Whilst we are still seeing progress, there is more work to be done. We’re not where need to be on some of the other targets:
- Proportion of existing chronic hepatitis C cases diagnosed: greater than or equal to 90%, we’re at 84.6%.
- The number of new cases each year: less than or equal to 5 per 100,000 persons, less than or equal to 2 per 100 people who inject drugs, we don’t have an estimate for the general population. Our estimate for people who inject drugs is 4.4 per 100 person-years in 2024.
- The number of sterile needles and syringes provided for each person who injects drugs: 300 a year, a current best estimate has England at 240. It’s also argued that economically developed countries should aim for more than 300. Around 1 in 3 people who inject drugs report that needle and syringe provision does not meet their needs.
Reflecting on our progress so far, Hepatitis C Trust CEO, Rachel Halford commented:
“It is encouraging to see the continued commitment of the Government, the NHS, and partners driving a sustained reduction in cases of this treatable virus. This work is a shining example to the rest of our health system, and health systems around the world, that when you meaningfully involve all key stakeholders, including people with lived experience, in the design and delivery of services, you can achieve incredible things.
While elimination is within reach, we cannot afford to ease our commitment – we are not there yet. We must continue testing and identifying those who remain undiagnosed, while also developing clear plans to sustain this progress and ensure it is maintained in the future.”