Egypt Becomes First Nation With WHO Gold Status for Hep C Elimination
Egypt has surpassed global targets by diagnosing 87% of hepatitis C cases and treating 93%.
Egypt has become the first country in the world to receive the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Gold Tier status for progress towards the elimination of hepatitis C. According to WHO, Gold Tier status is granted to countries that have diagnosed at least 80% of individuals infected with the virus and treated at least 70% of those diagnosed. Egypt has exceeded both thresholds, diagnosing 87% of hepatitis C cases and successfully treating 93%. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, praised the country’s progress, describing Egypt as “an example to the world of what can be achieved with modern tools and political commitment at the highest level.” This achievement follows years of nationwide screening and treatment campaigns, most notably the '100 Million Seha' initiative launched under President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Through this programme, Egypt screened over 60 million people and treated more than 4 million, reducing infection rates from 300 cases per 100,000 people in 2014 to just 9 per 100,000 in 2022.
