THU-411-Effectiveness of direct: Acting antivirals for the treatment of viral hepatitis C in Rwanda

Rwanda launches a 5-year national hepatitis C elimination plan: A landmark in sub-Saharan Africa

“…A study conducted on HCV DAA-based treatment outcome in the national programme has shown a 12-week sustained virologic response (SVR) rate of 91.5%. 24 In a recent clinical trial using sofosbuvir/ledipasvir at a referral centre in Kigali, there was an overall 12-week SVR rate of 87%, though this was significantly lower in patients with genotype 4r. 25 A revision of the national guidelines is currently underway, including additional pangenotypic regimens for both treatment-naive and treatment-experienced individuals.…”

Is resistance to direct-acting antivirals in sub-Saharan Africa a threat to HCV elimination? Recommendations for action

“…Although financing for diagnostics and medications remain formidable challenges, treatment experience with DAAs in SSA is slowly accumulating, and several studies have demonstrated acceptable overall rates of treatment success. 2,3 However, there are early signs that baseline resistance to DAAs may exist in high concentration in SSA. In the Journal of Hepatology, Childs et al reported that immigrants from SSA accounted for a disproportionate percentage of treatment failures in a UK center, primarily following treatment with earlier generation NS5A inhibitors, such as daclatasvir and ledipasvir.…”