Simplified hepatitis C integrated management model in methadone clinics in Ukraine

Grantee

Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy (UIPHP), Kyiv, Ukraine

Main applicant and principal investigator

Kostyantyn Dumchev, Scientific Director, UIPHP

Deputy applicant

Tetiana Kiriazova, Director, UIPHP

Collaborators 

1. Prof Frederick Altice, Yale University, USA
2. Dr Patrizia Carrieri, French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), France

Background

People who inject drugs (PWID) have a high burden of hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) but suffer from lower access to life-saving treatments because of stigma and low awareness. Enrollment into opioid agonist treatment (OAT), especially in integrated settings, improves the health of PWID through reducing drug use and increasing access to medical care. Integration of OAT with HIV and TB care is well studied, including in Ukraine, however, there are only a few studies of OAT and HCV treatment integration. About 12,000 patients receive OAT in Ukraine, 83% of them are HCV-infected. Considering the rapidly increasing availability of HCV treatment in Ukraine, this group can be efficiently treated using a simplified integrated HCV care model.

Objective

To develop a simplified HCV care and treatment model, endorsed through a Ministry of Health working group and strengthened through a collaborative telehealth learning intervention to support and empower clinicians to provide services outside their standard clinical practice. 

Methods

Conduct a pilot study to examine HCV cascade outcomes as well as patient, clinician and organizational factors that facilitate model uptake and contribute to clinical outcomes. The model will be evaluated in a potential stage 2 project using a hybrid implementation study design.

Output / impact

The results of model evaluation, if shown effective, will allow advocacy for scale-up to other non-specialized settings in Ukraine and internationally and contribute to HCV elimination.