摘要
In October 2023,Egypt received recognition for a feat that cheered public health experts around the world:It became the first country awarded the World Health Organization(WHO)“Gold Tier”certification for its progress in eliminating viral hepatitis caused by the hepatitis C virus(HCV)[1].It is also the first time in history that a country has nearly eliminated a chronic illness caused by a virus.While that achievement itself is remarkable,especially impressive is the speed with which Egypt accomplished this public health triumph.In just 14 years,from 2008 to 2022,Egypt’s prevalence of HCV viral hepatitis fell from 10%to 0.38%[1],and deaths due to the disease dropped by 51%[2].Modeling suggests the country’s aggressive elimination program,which has tested more than 60 million people and treated more than 4 million[1],will have prevented almost 250000 HCV-related deaths by 2030[3].
