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The Australian government has committed to meeting the 2030 hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination targets set by the World Health Organization. These targets include reducing the annual number of new HCV infections to fewer than two per 100 people who inject drugs, and providing annual needle and syringe program coverage of 300 needles and syringes per person who injects drugs. Needle and syringe programs are internationally endorsed, evidence‐based public health interventions that reduce the spread of bloodborne viruses and the incidence of injection‐related infections.

Australia is one of ten countries classified as having high needle and syringe program coverage, and the estimated number of needles and syringes distributed per person who injects drugs is the highest in the world. In addition, the introduction of subsidised direct‐acting antiviral medications (DAAs) in March 2016 reduced the prevalence of chronic HCV infections among people who inject drugs in the community from 51% in 2015 to 12% in 2022. However, recent declines in testing and treatment have jeopardised progress toward HCV elimination.

This MJA Research shares more.

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Authors: Farah Houdroge, Samantha Colledge‐Frisby, Nadine Kronfli, Rebecca J Winter, Joanne Carson, Mark Stoove and Nick Scott

Article Type: Research