Infected

Approximately 80 million persons are estimated to have chronic HCV infection, which corresponds to a global prevalence of 1.1 percent. The prevalence rates are highest in West Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Annually, an estimated 700,000 persons with chronic HCV infection die untreated.

Well-planned procurement and efficient pharmaceutical production is aided by reliable information on the projected treatment needs. For HIV, demand forecasting is an essential tool to ensure regular supply. This demand forecasting is challenging for hepatitis because of the uncertainty in the numbers of people with HCV infection and varying treatment eligibility criteria in different countries. The lack of international funding or procurement mechanisms also leads to a more scattered market than for HIV, which further complicates reliable demand forecasting.

Anum Ghouse Khan

Karachi