Monitoring Progress Towards the Elimination of Hepatitis C as a Public Health Threat in Norway

The global incidence target for the elimination of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs (PWID) is <2/100. In Norway, the hepatitis C epidemic is concentrated in PWID. Immigrants are the second most important risk group for the chronic infection.

A study, published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, modeled the incidence of hepatitis C among active PWID, and the prevalence of the chronic infection among active PWID, ex-PWID, and immigrants in Norway to 2022.

Results indicate that Norway has achieved the WHO absolute incidence target for the elimination of hepatitis C as a public health threat. Norway provides an example of the feasibility of hepatitis C elimination in a setting with a concentrated epidemic, high coverage of harm reduction services, and no treatment restrictions. Continued momentum is needed to further reduce the transmission and burden of hepatitis C in Norway.