Thanks to the guidance of the MOHW and the joint efforts of public and private institutions in Hualien and Taitung counties to achieve the elimination of hepatitis C in Taiwan by 2025, the number of people having received hepatitis C treatment in Hualien and Taitung counties has reached 7,491.
The NHIA included new oral hepatitis C drugs in 2015. As many as 144,196 people across Taiwan have received treatment as of October 31, 2022, including 4,636 people from Hualien and Taitung and 2,855 receiving early interferon treatment, 7,491 people in total. Based on the registered population and prevalence of hepatitis C, it is estimated that about 9,700 people in the Hualien and Taitung areas are being treated with hepatitis C drugs, approaching the micro-elimination target of 80% receiving treatment for hepatitis C.
The NHIA Eastern Division stated that in order to improve the accessibility of hepatitis C treatment and allow more patients to receive early treatment, the NHIA has gradually loosened its eligibility restrictions to new oral hepatitis C drugs covered under NHI. On October 22, 2021, the NHIA announced the cancellation of the specialty restrictions on physicians prescribing oral hepatitis C drugs.
The NHIA, in accord with Taiwan’s national policy to eliminate hepatitis C, has established a "Hepatitis B, C Area” on the NHI MediCloud so that doctors can effectively access information on medical treatments, medications, and tests and examinations of hepatitis C patients from different medical institutions. The NHIA has also loosened its restrictions to allow physicians who are not gastroenterologists to prescribe new oral hepatitis C drugs. This allows physicians to provide treatments for patients in the nearest institution after they are screened for hepatitis C, reducing the possibilities that people stop medical treatments during referral and also greatly improving accessibility of treatment.
The NHIA encourages patients aged 45-79 (expanded to 40-79 for indigenous peoples) who have not yet received the free screenings of Hepatitis B and C for Adults offered by the Health Promotion Administration to receive preventive health care services. The hepatitis C confirmed cases can receive new oral hepatitis C drugs at the screening hospital or at a clinic that provides hepatitis C treatment.