Hepatitis C must be eradicated in England in THREE YEARS: The country is in a leading position to eliminate the virus, which can lead to cancer and liver disease

Hepatitis C could be eradicated within two years thanks to a campaign to identify and treat those most at risk.

The NHS plans to eradicate the virus by 2025 – five years ahead of global targets.

Deaths fell by 35 percent in six years, well above the World Health Organization’s target of 10 percent.

This puts England in prime position to become the first country in the world to declare itself free of the virus, which can lead to liver disease and cancer.

The advance comes after a five-year deal worth almost £1bn to buy antiviral drugs, which have a 95 per cent cure rate.

Dedicated Find And Treat programs have also helped the NHS reduce hepatitis C cases in vulnerable populations such as the homeless.

So far, about 70,000 patients have been cured of the disease under the program, which has also drastically reduced the need for liver transplants.

Rachel Halford from the Hepatitis C Trust described the progress made as “truly amazing”.

She said: “We now need a final concerted effort to ensure we reach everyone potentially affected and achieve elimination.”

Health chiefs said the number of people seeking liver transplants because of the virus had fallen from around 140 a year to less than 50 by 2020.

People in the most disadvantaged communities saw the greatest benefit, with 80 percent of treatments going to the most disadvantaged half of the population.

This includes children born with the infection, with more than 100 children receiving infection-curing antivirals in the past year alone.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, said the NHS was “a world leader” in its efforts to save lives and eradicate hepatitis C, while tackling a “significant” health inequality.

He said: “Thanks to targeted screening and because the NHS has a proven record of securing drug deals that give patients access to the latest medicines, we are on track to exceed global targets and become the first country to do so Hepatitis C treated by 2030 is banned – this will be a milestone.”

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that, if untreated, can cause liver cancer and liver failure.

It usually shows no symptoms until the virus does enough damage to cause liver disease.

Symptoms can include fatigue and difficulty concentrating, and the virus has also been linked to cardiovascular disease, mental health problems, kidney disease and musculoskeletal pain.

With homeless people at greater risk, the NHS is working with charities, including St Mungo’s, to identify and treat those susceptible to the disease.

Specialist teams performed same-day screenings and helped complete a full course of treatment.

Drug use, sharing toothbrushes, razors and other common lifestyle factors associated with restless sleep are some of the reasons homeless people are at increased risk of contracting hepatitis C.

Sara Hide, from St Mungo’s, Oxford, said: “With the now less invasive treatment for hepatitis C – an 8 to 12 week course of medication – we are seeing an increase in people responding to our screening services. At the same time we are looking at ​also to other medical conditions to identify clients who may need additional healthcare support.’

Health Secretary Lord Markham said: “I am grateful to NHS staff and our partner charities such as St Mungo’s for the fantastic progress made so far. Deaths and incidences of the virus have steadily declined thanks to improvements in diagnosis and access to treatment.”

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