Africa: Unitaid Extends Investment in Hepatitis C Prevention for People Who Inject Drugs

What the report says

Unitaid says it is extending its work on hepatitis C prevention and care for people who inject drugs with an additional US$7.8 million for three projects in 10 low- and middle-income countries. The Geneva-based health agency has been supporting prevention, testing and treatment efforts aimed at populations that face the highest barriers to care, including people who use drugs. The new funding builds on work already underway since 2023, led by Médecins du Monde, PATH and Frontline AIDS, according to the article published by AllAfrica.

The report says the projects are designed to make services easier to access by linking hepatitis C care with harm reduction programs, including in prisons. Those services can provide clean injecting equipment and treatment for opioid dependence, while also helping people stay engaged in testing and treatment. Unitaid is also studying low dead-space syringes, which can reduce blood remaining in equipment, and long-acting depot buprenorphine, a monthly treatment option for opioid dependence. The agency says these approaches may help lower risk and improve access for people who otherwise struggle to reach routine health services.

The article quotes Unitaid Technical Manager Karin Timmermans on the role of community involvement in shaping the projects. She said people who inject drugs helped identify research priorities, review study materials and challenge requirements they saw as barriers. The reporting also notes that the research has already informed World Health Organization guidance on long-acting buprenorphine. More broadly, the work matters because hepatitis C remains curable but still spreads widely, especially where stigma, criminalization and limited health access make prevention and treatment difficult.