Georgia has moved to a new stage of the international validation process for viral hepatitis elimination. This means that the country is preparing for international recognition by the World Health Organization [WHO] for the progress achieved toward the elimination of hepatitis B and C.

In connection with this milestone, the first meeting of the National Validation Board for the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis was convened under the leadership of the Minister of Health.

Mikheil Sarjveladze addressed the members of the board, highlighting the importance and achievements of the state programmes targeting Hepatitis B and C. As he underlined, the Hepatitis C Elimination Programme stands as one of the crowning achievements of the country’s healthcare system, establishing Georgia as an international leader in the field.

The Minister particularly singled out Tengiz Tsertsvadze’s pivotal role in developing the programme. As Mikheil Sarjveladze noted, results achieved over the past decade are the direct fruit of consistent state policy, professionalism of Georgian medical specialists, successful co-operation with international partners.

Georgia plans to obtain international validation from the WHO in two distinct areas this year: validation of progress on the path to Hepatitis C elimination, and validation of the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B. Applications in both categories have been prepared to target the highest, “Gold” tier of validation.

The ultimate national objective remains the complete elimination of hepatitis by 2030, aligning with the timelines established by the WHO Global Health Sector Strategy.

Board members reviewed the National Validation Report for the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis, compiled in accordance with WHO requirements. The report details Georgia’s remarkable progress: 87.3% of individuals with chronic Hepatitis C have been diagnosed, and 87.1% of those diagnosed have initiated treatment - surpassing WHO target thresholds. Furthermore, the cure rate for Hepatitis C has reached 99%. Georgia has already met the WHO regional targets for Hepatitis B: disease prevalence among children stands at just 0.03%, while birth-dose vaccination coverage has reached 96% and 3-dose coverage at 90%.