Health Ministry: Georgia reaches final stage for international recognition in hepatitis elimination

“Georgia has entered a new phase in the international validation process for the elimination of viral hepatitis. This indicates that the country is preparing for formal recognition by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for its significant progress towards eliminating Hepatitis B and C,” reads the statement released by the Ministry of Health.

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.

The Minister addressed the members of the board, highlighting the importance and achievements of the state programmes targeting Hepatitis B and C. Mikheil Sarjveladze emphasised that 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. Mikheil Sarjveladze noted that the results achieved over the past decade are the direct fruit of consistent state policy, the professionalism of Georgian medical specialists, and successful co-operation with international partners.

Georgia plans to obtain international validation from the World Health Organisation 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 three-dose coverage at 90%.

The National Validation Board for the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis was established by order of the Minister of Health of Georgia. The board convenes representatives from the Ministry, the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC), the Government of Georgia, the Parliament of Georgia, the National Health Agency, the medical community, academia, international partner organisations, and civil society, the Ministry of Health noted.