On 28 July, Georgia marked the World Hepatitis Day by the slogan ‘Treat Me Too’.
Different Georgian cities hosted the events dedicated to the above mentioned day. The events were organized by the Georgian Harm Reduction Network and supported by the Open Society Georgia (OSGF), the Doctors of the World France and the EU.
In Georgia 200 000 people are living with hepatitis C. The treatment of this disease costs more than 20 000 GEL and most of the patients cannot afford treatment. Many patients were infected more than 10 years ago and they face the urgent need of treatment.
The event organizers gathered in front of the Parliament building to demand access to the treatment. A symbolic hurdle race was organized, in which patients and other activists took part. At the finish of the race the runners signed the hepatitis C treatment waiting list. Hurdles expressed rising costs of the treatment, while running over the hurdles was the symbolic expression of the ability to cover costs and get increased access to treatment.
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A Statement of the Patients in the C Hepatitis Treatment Waiting List
To the President of Georgia Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili
The Prime Minister of Georgia Mr. Ivane Merabishvili
Georgian Parliament Speaker Mr. David Bakradze
The Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, Mr. Zurab Chiaberashvili
The Public Defender of Georgia Mr. Giorgi Tugushi
We, the patients infected with hepatitis C demand access to the timely, quality and affordable treatment. There are 200 000 people infected with hepatitis C in Georgia. Most of them are not able to get comprehensive diagnostic services, because the cost of diagnosis is up to 1500 GEL. State and private insurance packages do not incorporate costs associated with making a diagnosis.
Even if we are definitely aware of urgent need of treatment we cannot afford it. For the past 10 years Hofman La Roche and MSD (Merk) companies have not decreased the price of pegylated interferon, the medication necessary for the treatment, and have sold the dose essential for a 48-week course of treatment from 15 000 to 20 000 USD. Like the diagnostic services, expenses associated with the treatment are not incorporated in the insurance packages offered by the state and private insurance companies.
Unless treatment costs decrease significantly and they are covered by insurance, thousands of our citizens will shortly die from cirrhosis, liver cancer and other decompensated liver conditions.
The value of a human life is higher than treatment costs. Therefore, we the citizens infected with hepatitis C, by signing this letter:
1. Oblige the state to cover hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment costs;
2. Call for a decrease to USD 2000 in treatment costs by pharmaceutical companies Hofman La Roche and MSD (Merk);
3. Call for the inclusion of hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment costs in insurance packages.
We need treatment today!
See media reports:
Radio Tavisupleba – The Campaign at Parliament.
Kote Rukhadze of Hepa+ talks about hepatitis C, disease symptoms and other related issues in a Radio Tavisupleba program
