Voice of HCV from Asia Loon GangteITPC-South Asia

People

735,000 estimate HIV/HCV co infection in Asia.

It has been estimated that there are up to 9 million IDUs in the Asia-Pacific region.

In 2008, 4.7 million people in Asia were living with HIV

An estimated 60% to 90% rate of HCV co-infection among IDU living with HIV/AIDS in Asia

Problem•Testing for HCV is not widely available and accessible and not supported in any HIV programs•Lack of HCV information & treatment education even among General population•Lack of expertise among physician •UNAFFORDABLE cost- Minimal people have access to treatment on HCV .•Most resource poor/developing countries do not have Testing & Treatment Guideline•Cost of Treatment, on request only*

Cost of TreatmentChina…….... USD 18,000Thailand….…USD 17,828Indonesia…..USD 18,000Vietnam…….USD 28,000India…………USD 16,000

approx. cost of Peg-INF & RBV for 48 weeks.The total cost of treatment including administration and

monitoring approx USD 30,000 – 33,000

Why Peg.INF+RBV cost so high?

Roche & Schering Plough hold the monopoly, PATENT on this drugs.

No generic version = no competition.

We have to work on…“I withdrawn all my saving from the bank and cash all my wife’s jewelleries, to start my treatment from 13th July 2007 plus 4 of my friends support me financially ” .…manipur

50% of HIV infected IDU stated that they had already did Hepatitis C test, shocking fact which strike the process is most of HIV infected IDU thought that Hep C test is liver function test.......indonesia

“Every NGO has a counselor, but they never inform or educate us about TB, Hep B and C ”….APN+ study

“We have some options for HIV but for HCV we do not have anything. What are they (the govt.) waiting for? Are they waiting for us to die?...ITPC-India

mapping. .

South & South East Asian Community Gearing up to the battle against HCV.

THANK YOU