During August and September 2024, we identified nine care recipients with a history of drug use who had completed their hepatitis C treatment at Model Treatment Centres of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS). They had completed their treatment for hepatitis C more than a year ago but hadn’t undergone the SVR 12 related HCV RNA test to complete the care cascade to ascertain if they have been cured.
Action Taken: Recognizing the critical importance of the need to ascertain a cure or re-treatment requirement, our data collectors provided the nine peers with counselling on the need for a SVR 12 test. Upon their consent, their blood samples were collected and delivered to the JNIMS hospital for the test. One person has received the results and have been cured from the infection. Upon receipt of test results, for the remaining eight (8) they will be notified and counselled based on the outcomes of the treatment.