Hepatitis C testing

Patients who are anti-HCV positive have serological evidence of past or present infection. People who are anti-HCV positive must be tested for HCV RNA (detects HCV circulating in the blood) to differentiate resolved infections from current infections that require treatment.

This indicator monitors progress in hepatitis C testing activities on a regular basis but does not reflect the overall proportion of people coinfected HIV and HCV receiving HIV care who are aware of their hepatitis C coinfection. Indicator C.6 of the viral hepatitis monitoring and evaluation framework, disaggregated by HIV status, would reflect this.

Collecting information on past or current injecting drug use allows reporting of disaggregated data for PWID. Recording information on stigmatised and commonly criminalised behaviours such as illicit drug use poses a risk when an individual can be identified. Efforts must be made to ensure patient records and registers avoid disclosing information that would allow for identification of individuals engaged in stigmatised or criminalised behaviour.