Danny Hames, Head of Inclusion, expressed his pride in reaching micro-elimination of hepatitis C across all Inclusion community drug and alcohol services nationally “This achievement was made possible through the collaborative efforts of NHS England Hepatitis C programme, Gilead, and Local Authorities, as well as the hard work of the Inclusion team. This accomplishment has certainly saved lives and improved the quality of life for numerous residents across England. However, this is a point in time and the #HepCULater campaign and teams are determined to maintain this progress – our work does not and cannot end here.”

Hepatitis C (hep C) is a blood-borne virus that most commonly affects the liver and is spread through blood-to-blood contact, such as sharing drug injecting equipment or having medical or dental treatment in a country where equipment is not sterilised. Unfortunately, the virus does not typically present any noticeable symptoms until the liver has sustained significant damage, therefore a person may have the virus without realising it. Testing and treatment for hep C have significantly improved in recent years. In fact, most people diagnosed with hep C can now be treated and cured with minimal or no side effects

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set an ambitious goal to eradicate Hepatitis C by 2030. To achieve this target, Inclusion collaborated with “Hep C U Later,” a team of NHS professionals dedicated to eliminating the virus, to create a series of testing programs and campaigns. Their main priority was to provide support, diagnosis, and prompt treatment to those affected by Hepatitis C. Thanks to their innovative approach, Inclusion has successfully helped in eliminating the disease before the WHO’s set target.