by Sun J, Cheng H, Hassan MRA, Chan H-K, Piedagnel J-M. The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific 2021;15:100261. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100261
Summary: Although approximately 8 million people are living with hepatitis C virus in China, less than 1.3% of patients with chronic infection have received treatment, while Malaysia has made direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment highly accessible. This paper, jointly authored by academics and healthcare professionals from the two countries, together with DNDi, compares how Malaysia and China have been navigating the hepatitis C agenda, summarizes the strategies adopted by Malaysia to scale up DAA treatment, and analyses the implications, challenges, and opportunities for China to achieve the goal of elimination of hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030.
