According to Amiran Gamkrelidze, all financial barriers were removed in 2019 and the hepatitis C elimination program became completely free.

“Although we talk a lot and tell people to come and do screening, very few people act so. We studied the so-called barriers two years ago as far as I remember - the first one is less awareness of the public and the second obstacle is financial barrier.

When the programme was launchd in 2015, treatment was completely free, rapid diagnostics was always free from the start of the programme, while the advanced diagnostics was co-funded. This co-payment was almost not intended for the socially vulnerable. As far as I remember, the programme has been completely free from summer 2019,” said Amiran Gamkrelidze.

According to the agreement signed with the United States, American partners guarantee that Georgia will be supplied with medications for hepatitis C for 10 years.