In advance of World Hepatitis Day (28 July), Prof Aiden McCormick, HSE National Clinical Lead for the National Hepatitis C Treatment Programme, and colleagues*, track Ireland’s progress towards achieving World Health Organisation hepatitis C virus elimination goals….. 

A number of committed clinicians, nurses and pharmacists have established very successful treatment services in the opioid substitution service. Client engagement has been high, with excellent treatment compliance and cure rates equivalent to those achieved in the hospitals. In 2019, a pilot treatment project was established for methadone-prescribing general practitioners and community pharmacies. Numbers treated are small as yet, but there is a lot of interest and the programme is being extended throughout the country. Treatment is also available in the Irish Prison Service. This is co-ordinated by the hepatology service in St James’s Hospital. Currently, it is limited to prisons in Leinster, but hopefully this will be expanded shortly…..