Professor Henry Chan says insufficient data and absence of a comprehensive policy are significant barriers to effective treatment of the liver disease
A renowned hepatitis expert said Hong Kong could be among the first cities in the world to eradicate hepatitis C, if a citywide action plan is formulated. Professor Henry Chan Lik-yuen, chairman of a hepatitis advisory committee under the World Health Organisation, said insufficient data and the absence of a comprehensive policy were both significant barriers to effective treatment of the liver disease. But Hong Kong could take the lead in bringing the number of cases down to zero if the issues were remedied, he said. “If we could set a timetable to treat a certain number of cases by a certain time, patients would not have to wait ages for treatment,” Chan said. There are about 30,000 people with hepatitis C in Hong Kong, with many contracting the virus by sharing needles or through transmission from mother to baby. Despite the small number, the disease remains a significant public health concern. About one fifth of hepatitis C patients in the city could develop cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, within 20 years, which can lead to liver cancer. Around the world, about 48 per cent of hepatitis-related deaths have been attributed to hepatitis C.
