Global Progress Toward WHO 2030 Hepatitis C Elimination Targets – HCPLive

Global Progress Report on Hepatitis C Virus Elimination and Sustainable Development Goal 3

Introduction: Aligning HCV Elimination with SDG 3.3

New research provides a comprehensive assessment of global progress toward the World Health Organization (WHO) 2030 goals for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) elimination. These targets are a critical component of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), specifically Target 3.3, which aims to end the epidemics of communicable diseases, including viral hepatitis. With an estimated 50 million people living with HCV and approximately 6,000 new infections daily, the virus remains a significant global health challenge, hindering the achievement of universal health coverage and well-being for all ages.

Methodology: The Path to Elimination (PTE) Framework

The analysis, presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) The Liver Meeting 2025, utilized data from 167 countries and territories. The study measured progress against the WHO’s Path to Elimination (PTE) framework, which establishes tiered targets for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment services essential for achieving SDG 3.3.

• PTE Criteria:
  • The percentage of infected individuals diagnosed.
  • The percentage of diagnosed individuals who are treated.
  • The number of needles/syringes distributed per person who injects drugs per year, a key harm reduction strategy that addresses health inequalities (SDG 10).

1. Bronze Tier: ≥60% diagnosed, ≥50% treated, and needle/syringe programs present.
2. Silver Tier: ≥70% diagnosed, ≥60% treated, with both needle/syringe programs and opioid agonist therapy present.
3. Gold Tier: ≥80% diagnosed, ≥70% treated, and >150 needles/syringes distributed per person who injects drugs per year.

Analysis of Global Performance Against 2030 Targets

Overall Achievement of Incidence and Mortality Goals

The report indicates that significant gaps persist in meeting the ultimate 2030 elimination goals, which are an HCV incidence of less than 5 new infections per 100,000 people and a mortality rate of less than 2 per 100,000. This shortfall directly impacts the feasibility of attaining SDG Target 3.3 on schedule.

• Mortality Target: 25 countries (15%) have met the 2030 goal.
• Incidence Target: 24 countries (14%) have met the 2030 goal.
• Both Targets Met: Only 10 countries (6%) have achieved both targets, with six of these located in the Americas (Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru).

Progress Across Path to Elimination (PTE) Tiers

Progress across the PTE service coverage tiers is varied, revealing uneven implementation of essential health services required to combat the epidemic.

• Prevention (Needle/Syringe Coverage): 39% of countries met bronze, 32% met silver, and 7% met gold tier targets.
• Diagnosis Coverage: 12% of countries met bronze, 8% met silver, and 6% met gold tier targets.
• Treatment Coverage: 17% of countries met bronze, 11% met silver, and 6% met gold tier targets.

Regional Disparities and Strategic Implications for SDG Attainment

Country-Level Performance and Inequalities

The country-level analysis highlights significant disparities, underscoring the challenges related to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) in global health access.

• The United States has achieved bronze-tier diagnosis coverage (68%) but its treatment coverage (43%) falls below the bronze threshold.
• Egypt and Norway have achieved gold status for treatment coverage. Australia, Georgia, and Spain have met the silver tier for treatment.
• No countries in the Southeast Asia Region have reached even the bronze-tier thresholds for service coverage, indicating a critical area for targeted intervention and international partnership (SDG 17).

Conclusion and Recommendations for Accelerating Progress

The findings reveal that while some countries are on the path to elimination, most face substantial challenges in achieving the 2030 goals. The persistent gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services threaten the successful attainment of SDG Target 3.3. To accelerate progress, a renewed commitment to SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) is required. Nations must allocate sufficient resources to expand harm reduction services, ensure equitable access to HCV treatment, and implement policies to scale up screening. These actions are fundamental to reducing health inequalities and realizing the global commitment to end the hepatitis C epidemic by 2030.

SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues Highlighted in the Article

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article’s primary focus is on public health, specifically the global effort to eliminate the Hepatitis C virus (HCV).
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The analysis highlights significant disparities in progress toward HCV elimination across different countries and regions, pointing to inequalities in healthcare access and outcomes.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article describes a collaborative effort involving the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination (CGHE), and data from 167 countries, showcasing a multi-stakeholder partnership to achieve a global health goal.

Specific Targets Identified Based on the Article’s Content

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases.
  
  Explanation: The article is entirely centered on the WHO’s strategic targets to eliminate the Hepatitis C virus by 2030. It directly discusses the global progress, or lack thereof, in combating this specific communicable disease, which is explicitly mentioned in the target. The article states, “…WHO designated HCV a global health threat in 2015 and set strategic targets to reduce the overall disease burden by 2030.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
  
  Explanation: While the target is broad, its principle of inclusion is relevant. The article’s analysis reveals a clear inequality in health outcomes and access to services. It notes that “no countries in the Southeast Asia Region reached bronze-tier thresholds,” while several countries in the Americas are meeting targets. This highlights a gap in health inclusion and the need to ensure progress is equitable across all regions.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources…
  
  Explanation: The research presented in the article is a direct result of such a partnership. It involves the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination analyzing data from multiple sources, including the “WHO Global Health Observatory,” “UN population data,” and “CGHE National Hepatitis Elimination Profiles” from 167 countries. This collaboration to monitor and report on global progress exemplifies the sharing of knowledge to support the achievement of a sustainable development goal.

Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article

Indicators for SDG Target 3.3

The article provides several specific, measurable indicators used by the WHO to track progress toward the elimination of Hepatitis C. These serve as direct measures for Target 3.3.

• HCV Incidence Rate: The article explicitly mentions the WHO’s elimination goal for incidence: “
• HCV Mortality Rate: The article states the WHO’s goal for mortality: “
• Diagnosis Coverage: Progress is measured by the percentage of infected individuals who have been diagnosed. The article details the “Path to Elimination (PTE)” tiers for this indicator:
  • Bronze: ≥60% diagnosed
  • Silver: ≥70% diagnosed
  • Gold: ≥80% diagnosed
• Treatment Coverage: This is measured by the percentage of diagnosed individuals who receive treatment. The article specifies the PTE tiers:
  • Bronze: ≥50% treated
  • Silver: ≥60% treated
  • Gold: ≥70% treated
• Prevention Services Coverage: The article mentions a key prevention indicator for people who inject drugs: “The number of needles/syringes distributed per person who injects drugs per year.” The gold-tier target is specified as “> 150 needle/syringes distributed.”

Table of Identified SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: hcplive.com