Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people they estimate will need to receive hepatitis C treatment in England over the next 13 years in order to achieve the World Health Organisation's goal of eliminating hepatitis C by 2030.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis 2016-21 proposes milestones and targets to achieve the aim of eliminating hepatitis C as a major public health threat. The WHO’s strategy highlights the role of prevention activities, including blood safety, safe injections, and harm reduction interventions among people who inject drugs. The strategy also sets a 2030 target that 80% of eligible persons with chronic hepatitis C are treated. A copy of the strategy is attached. An estimated 160,000 persons are currently infected with hepatitis C in England, many of whom are not yet diagnosed.