‘Nothing short of astounding’: How Egypt defied the odds to eliminate hepatitis C

In a span of a decade, Egypt transitioned from having one of the world's highest rates of hepatitis C to near elimination of the disease. This achievement was recognized by the international health community as astounding and exceptional. At the heart of the country's successful endeavour was a strong political will coupled with a comprehensive and ambitious health strategy. Aided by the availability of affordable antiviral drugs and a robust health infrastructure, Egypt managed to provide curative treatment to 93% of its infected population, thus exceeding the World Health Organisation gold-tier rates. The country has demonstrated that the elimination of hepatitis C is feasible even for low to middle-income countries. The successful implementation of Egypt's strategy has garnered the world's attention, and is now seen as a blueprint for countries battling the disease. The country's approach, including comprehensive screening programmes and awareness campaigns, has also had the added benefit of diminishing stigma associated with the disease.