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EMN Dimapur, July 28
The Asian Network of People who Use Drugs (ANPUD) has demanded accessible testing, diagnostics and treatment for hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection for people in Asia ‘who inject drugs.’ The disproportionate prevalence of HCV among people who inject drugs (PWID) in the region is well documented, the ANPUD said in a press release today. “Despite an alarming prevalence of up to 98% in Indonesia, 90% in Thailand and 92% in India, to name a few, the infection has remained unaddressed by majority of the governments in the region,” the drug users’ forum said. “Incarceration of people who use drugs, extremely low coverage of evidence based harm reduction services, and the war on drugs with oppressive policies against people who use drugs have all contributed to this disproportionate prevalence of HCV among PWID. PWID have also been stigmatized and excluded from clinical trials and treatment programs,” the press release said. “However, research has demonstrated that PWID can adhere to HCV treatment and recent drug use does not influence subsequent adherence. Treatment completion can be further improved when support services such as opiate substitution and other peer support services are provided during the treatment period.” The ANPUD demanded “clear inclusion of PWID in all global guidelines and an end to systemic exclusion and stigmatization of PWIDs based on the criterion of drug use status. “With most countries low or middle income in the Asia region, the high cost of pegylated interferon has been a significant barrier in access to treatment. Due to the high cost, Pegylated Interferon was recently added to the complementary section of the model list of essential medicines by the World Health Organization (WHO).” The forum said further that resource-limited national governments of the region are neither being to initiate national treatment programs nor can individual PWIDs afford to pay the steep costs. “Consequently, as many PWID are co-infected with HIV and HCV, complications from a curable infection (HCV) are killing more than an incurable infection (HIV).” The ANPUD explained that people with HCV infection in resource-limited countries, given the opportunity to access treatment, have treatment success rates similar to those in developed countries. “Asians can also experience a higher cure rate because of the prevalent genotypes of HCV in the region and favorable IL28B genotype. In spite of these conditions, PWID in resource limited Asian countries cannot access the treatment resulting in many untimely and often under-reported deaths.” ANPUD calls upon the WHO and its leadership, to fulfill, in its entirety, the task that the 63rd World Health assembly bestowed to the director general three years ago. While dedicating ANPUD to all efforts in reversing the HCV epidemic among PWID, the forum added, the organization also called upon all stakeholders to support and invest in every possible effort including at the community level. “We cannot allow our friends to die anymore. We call for all to take up responses at a massive scale before the silent epidemic or the viral time bomb explodes.”