The results achieved by Georgia in eliminating hepatitis B and C are ready for international evaluation. In the coming days, Georgia will present the World Health Organization with a national report on the validation of hepatitis elimination, which shows the progress made in the country in this direction.
In connection with this, under the leadership of Minister of Health Mikheil Sarjveladze, the second session of the National Council for Validation of Viral Hepatitis Elimination was held.
The prepared report includes two main directions. These are: Validation of progress made on the way to eliminate hepatitis C and the elimination of hepatitis B from mother to child. Georgia is preparing to receive the highest – golden level international recognition in both directions.
Members of the Council discussed the final draft of the National Validation Report submitted to the World Health Organization. According to the data, 88.5% of patients with chronic hepatitis C have been diagnosed, and 87.1% of diagnosed patients have begun treatment, exceeding the targets set by the World Health Organization. In addition, the cure rate of hepatitis C is 99%.
Significant progress has been made with Hepatitis B as well. Georgia has already fulfilled the regional goals of the World Health Organization – the prevalence of hepatitis B in children is 0.03%, the rate of hepatitis B vaccination of newborns has reached 95.5%, and the rate of three-dose vaccination is 90.5%.
Members of the Council unanimously accepted the presented version of the draft validation application. The meeting noted that the measures taken by Georgia towards the elimination of viral hepatitis are one of the important successes of the country’s public health.
Results from 2015 reflect the consistent and large-scale work carried out in this area. During this period, a strong national program has been established, significantly reducing the burden of hepatitis C, achieving the regional goals of the World Health Organization for hepatitis B control, and establishing the policies, services, and epidemiological system essential for the long-term sustainability of the program.
Georgia has all the main prerequisites to become one of the first countries in the world to receive the Gold Tier international recognition for the elimination of viral hepatitis by the World Health Organization. This achievement is the result of consistent public policy, many years of professional work by Georgian specialists, and effective cooperation with international partners.
