Why Hasn’t The United States Eliminated Hepatitis C When Egypt Did So?

Three years ago, Egypt and the United States had approximately the same number of people infected with chronic hepatitis C. The hepatitis C burden in Egypt was also three to four times higher per capita than in the United States. Today, the situation is very different. Egypt has been certified by the World Health Organization to be virtually free of the disease. The United States, however, still carries the same burden despite having the resources to eliminate hepatitis C (Figure 1). In the previous story, we saw how Egypt’s 100 Million Healthy Lives program achieved country wide elimination by demonstrating the will and organization to do so, as well as finding a way to cover the costs. Unfortunately, the United States seems to lack those same tenets. Recently, the current administration took a major step forward and laid out a historic $11 billion plan to eliminate hepatitis C in the United States within five years.

The $11 Billion Dollar Plan

The barriers that the United States faces to eliminate hepatitis C are comparable to the barriers that Egypt faced. The United States must also demonstrate a strong will to eliminate the disease, organize its infrastructure and resources, and find ways to lower the high costs of diagnostics and drugs. The success of Egypt’s 100 Million Healthy Lives campaign provided an excellent model for creating a hepatitis elimination plan, and in March of this year, the current administration revealed its Nation Hepatitis Elimination Program. Outlined in the government budget for fiscal year 2024, this five year and $11.3 billion plan is a declaration of the United States’ willingness to eliminate hepatitis C. It establishes a cohesive effort that brings together all facets of the healthcare delivery system including state governments, federal agencies, and community health providers.