MSF concludes Hepatitis C Project in Karachi after treating 9,000+ patients

KARACHI: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has officially concluded its hepatitis C care project in Karachi, marking the end of a nine-year initiative that provided free, lifesaving treatment to over 9,000 patients in one of Pakistan’s most underserved urban areas.

Pakistan has one of the highest hepatitis C burdens in the world, with millions struggling to access treatment, especially in informal settlements. MSF launched its hepatitis C program in 2015 within its primary healthcare services in Machar Colony, Karachi—one of the city’s largest informal neighborhoods. Encouraged by early success, MSF established a dedicated hepatitis C clinic in 2018 and later introduced the “Bending the Curve” campaign, a mass screening and treatment drive that reached over 74,000 people. In total, 130,000 individuals were screened, and nearly 10,000 received advanced antiviral treatment.

A Model for Community-Based Hepatitis C Care

“Delivering healthcare to vulnerable communities requires more than just medical expertise; it demands an understanding of the social and economic barriers that prevent people from seeking care,” said Ahmed Wileo, MSF’s Head of Mission in Pakistan. “By engaging local residents, shaping strategies around their needs, and advocating for affordable testing and treatment, we’ve made a lasting impact.”

A 2022 survey in Machar Colony found that 13.5% of residents tested positive for hepatitis C, with 4.1% carrying an active infection. Among those who started treatment through the “Bending the Curve” initiative, nearly 75% completed their first course, and of those tested afterward, 94% were fully cured.

“We started by integrating hepatitis C services into primary healthcare,” said Dr. Khawar Aslam, MSF’s Project Medical Referent in Karachi. “As the model proved effective, we expanded to a dedicated clinic and later launched a mass campaign that brought testing and treatment directly to people’s homes.”

Scaling Up Hepatitis C Elimination Efforts

In 2023, MSF partnered with the Sindh Health Department to pilot a decentralized hepatitis C care model at a public primary healthcare clinic in Baldia, screening over 3,300 people and initiating treatment for 146 patients. The clinic has since been designated a sentinel site for hepatitis C in Sindh, underscoring the long-term viability of this approach.

“Eliminating hepatitis C in Pakistan is ambitious but achievable,” said Dr. Ei Hnin Hnin Phyu, MSF’s Medical Coordinator in Pakistan. “Our intervention in Machar Colony significantly reduced prevalence, but without sustained efforts, infection rates could rebound within a decade.”

Dr. Phyu emphasized the need for comprehensive strategies, including:

• Community awareness programs
• Harm reduction initiatives
• Widespread screening and testing
• Affordable treatment access, including for undocumented and high-risk groups
• Decentralized healthcare services

“These measures must be swiftly integrated into Pakistan’s national health policies to achieve true hepatitis C elimination,” she added.

A Call for Action

“We’ve learned that fighting hepatitis C requires tackling not only medical challenges but also social conditions that fuel its spread,” said Wileo. “We hope our experience will guide policymakers to scale up proven strategies and bring Pakistan closer to eradicating hepatitis C.”

About MSF

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent medical humanitarian organization providing emergency aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, natural disasters, and healthcare exclusion. Since 1986, MSF has worked in Pakistan, offering maternal and child healthcare, primary healthcare, treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis, drug-resistant tuberculosis, and emergency response services.