Background:
Tanzania, a pioneer of harm reduction in Africa, faces an ongoing hepatitis C epidemic, complicated by limited access to diagnostic and treatment services. Building upon the country’s established harm reduction infrastructure, we aim to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, acceptability and cost effectiveness of a novel model of care that integrates rapid treatment initiation and simplified diagnostic protocols, setting the stage for a significant transformation in the continuum of care.
Description of model of intervention:
This study compares two innovative approaches for hepatitis C care: 1) A WHO-recommended simplified care model where treatment begins after positive rapid antibody testing and confirmatory RNA testing; and 2) A same-day treatment model where treatment commences immediately following a positive rapid antibody test result read at 5 minutes without waiting for RNA confirmation.
Effectiveness:
Recruitment is scheduled to start in April 2025. Preparatory activities are complete, including obtaining local ethical approval, training a team of 40 service providers, establishing referral pathways and engaging multi-level stakeholders. We anticipate the study will demonstrate higher treatment uptake and completion rates, notably in the same-day treatment arm. In addition to clinical outcomes, we will evaluate feasibility through implementation metrics, assess acceptability via participant and provider feedback, and determine cost-effectiveness through rigorous economic analysis—providing a comprehensive assessment of both models for future scale-up.
Conclusion and next steps:
The study’s findings will inform and support the Ministry of Health as it launches its national hepatitis C treatment program and strengthen its Global Fund request, paving the way for sustainable, integrated hepatitis C services in Tanzania.
Disclosure of Interest Statement: This study is funded by Unitaid. |