title: National treatment programme of hepatitis C in Egypt: Hepatitis C virus model of care.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem in Egypt as the nation bears the highest prevalence rate worldwide. This necessitated establishing a novel model of care (MOC) to contain the epidemic, deliver patient care and ensure global treatment access. In this review, we describe the process of development of the Egyptian model and future strategies for sustainability. Although the magnitude of the HCV problem was known for many years, the HCV MOC only came into being in 2006 with the establishment of the National Committee for Control of Viral Hepatitis (NCCVH) to set up and implement a national control strategy for the disease and other causes of viral hepatitis. The strategy outlines best practices for patient care delivery by applying a set of service principles through identified clinical streams and patient flow continuums. The Egyptian national viral hepatitis treatment programme is considered one of the most successful and effective public health programmes. To date, more than one million patients were evaluated and more than 850 000 received treatment under the umbrella of the programme since 2006. The NCCVH has been successful in establishing a strong infrastructure for controlling viral hepatitis in Egypt. It established a nationwide network of digitally connected viral hepatitis-specialized treatment centres covering the country map to enhance treatment access. Practice guidelines suiting local circumstances were issued and regularly updated and are applied in all affiliated centres. This review illustrates the model and the successful Egyptian experience. It sets an exemplar for states, organizations and policy-makers setting up programmes for care and management of people with hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: El-Akel
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology), Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3396-6894
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Kassas
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Serafy
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khairy
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Elsaeed
authors.affiliation: New Pediatric Children Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kabil
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Diseases, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassany
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shawky
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yosry
authors.affiliation: Tropical Medicine, Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Shaker
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: ElShazly
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, National Liver Institute, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Waked
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esmat
authors.affiliation: Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Doss
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019468:Disease Management; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: Egypt; National Committee for Control of Viral Hepatitis; chronic HCV; model of care