Barriers and Strategies for Hepatitis B and C Elimination in Pakistan.

Background: Pakistan has a high hepatitis burden for both hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). To achieve World Health Organization (WHO) 2030 targets for hepatitis elimination, there is a need to constitute progress in the country, find the barriers and strategies for HCV elimination, and take actions to address the gaps.

Methods: We collected data from (1) WHO estimates in 2020, (2) midterm review questionnaire of the WHO regional action plan, and (3) WHO estimates on immunization. We analyzed these data to inform (1) the burden defined as prevalence and mortality and (2) response in 3 thematic areas: governance, policy, and finance; strategic information; and service delivery.

Results: The prevalence of hepatitis B in the general population is 1.6% with 12 000 deaths/year. The prevalence of hepatitis C in the general population is 7.5% with 19 000 deaths and 545 000 new cases (incidence)/year. The selected indicators to monitor progress on viral hepatitis in Pakistan were governance and financing, policies and guidelines, and strategic information. The overall governance indicators are good with a focal point, a national hepatitis strategy, an operational plan, strategy for price reduction, and involvement of civil society but the costed action plan and the advocacy strategy are missing. The indicators on policies and guidelines are also adequately addressed. The hepatitis B and C testing and treatment guidelines are available, there is a policy to screen all blood donations, and there is an injection safety policy, but the policy for timely hepatitis B vaccine birth dose and hepatitis B vaccination for the vulnerable is missing. Both indicators regarding strategic information, that is measures of key hepatitis indicators and regular data review, are missing. The status of 5 key interventions in Pakistan show that the hepatitis B vaccination coverage is 74% and only 3% of newborn children are given the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose. Only 22% of HCV cases have been diagnosed and 2% have received treatment. Treatment response is 96%. Same-day testing and treatment of hepatitis C reduced the overall dropout rate and improved the cascade of care. Decentralization and task shifting are important tools to improve service delivery and reach communities. Finances to implement hepatitis elimination is a major barrier.

Conclusions: Pakistan has the highest hepatitis disease burden. With the current pace, hepatitis elimination appears impossible. Introduction of the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine and improving access and affordability of testing can improve the testing and treatment numbers. Finances need to be mobilized from within the country and outside to support disease elimination.