Box 6.1Good practice principles for health service delivery

  1. Comprehensive national planning for the elimination of HCV infection based on local epidemiological context, existing health-care infrastructure, current coverage of testing, treatment and prevention, and available financial or human resources
  2. Simple and standardized algorithms across the continuum of care from testing, linkage to care and treatment
  3. Strategies to strengthen linkage from testing to care, treatment and prevention
  4. Integration of hepatitis testing, care and treatment with other services (e.g. HIV services) to increase the efficiency and reach of hepatitis services
  5. Decentralized testing and treatment services at primary health facilities or harm reduction sites to promote access to care. This is facilitated by two approaches:
    5a.

    task-sharing, supported by training and mentoring of health-care workers and peer workers;

    5b.

    a differentiated care strategy to assess level-of-care needs, with specialist referral as appropriate for those with complex problems.

  6. Community engagement and peer support to promote access to services and linkage to the continuum of care, which includes addressing stigma and discrimination
  7. Strategies for more efficient procurement and supply management of quality-assured, affordable medicines and diagnostics
  8. Data systems to monitor the quality of individual care and coverage at key steps along the continuum or cascade of care at the population level.

From: 6, Simplified Service Delivery for a Public Health Approach to Testing, Care and Treatment for HCV Infection

Cover of Guidelines for the Care and Treatment of Persons Diagnosed with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Guidelines for the Care and Treatment of Persons Diagnosed with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection [Internet].
Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018 Jul.
© World Health Organization 2018.

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