From now on, every person deprived of liberty and diagnosed with Hepatitis C can be sure that he or she will be provided with full treatment

For years, persons deprived of liberty and diagnosed with Hepatitis C have had the opportunity to receive full treatment only at the expense of their own funds, and full treatment is rather expensive.

Taking into consideration the policy of the Government in the sector of prison healthcare, ongoing steps are being taken to integrate prison healthcare into the national healthcare system and provide quality medical aid and services to persons deprived of liberty.

As a result of the high-level co-operation between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health, the programme for examination and treatment for persons deprived of liberty and diagnosed with Hepatitis C at penitentiary institutions has already been launched in April of this year. A number of studies and discussions have been conducted and held in order to achieve this final outcome, which produced their outcome.

As of 25 April of this year, the additional examinations required for starting Hepatitis C treatment for 69 persons deprived of liberty are over. The "National Centre for Infectious Diseases" CJSC has already provided the "Penitentiary Medicine Centre" SNCO with the drugs required for treatment of the persons deprived of liberty.

Out of the mentioned 69 persons, treatment for 19 of them has already begun within the "Hospital of Convicts" and "Nubarashen" subdivisions where they are provided with direct effect medicinal treatment that is specific for the Hepatitis C virus, according to the scheme. For the remaining persons deprived of liberty who have been additionally examined and are currently located at the "Nubarashen", "Vardashen" and "Armavir" Penitentiary Institutions, treatment will be provided until 30 April, in stages. The necessary examinations and treatment for persons deprived of liberty and being kept at the remaining penitentiary institutions will be carried out in stages.

It should be mentioned that, as of 1 April of this year, there are 313 persons deprived of liberty who are under the supervision of the medical personnel within the subdivisions of the "Penitentiary Medicine Centre" SNCO and are diagnosed with
Anti-HCV positive antibodies.

Out of the 313 persons deprived of liberty, the specific, direct effect medicinal treatment for those diagnosed with Viral Hepatitis C as a result of additional examination is envisaged to be completed by the end of this year.

The co-operation between the "Penitentiary Medicine Centre" SNCO and the "National Infectious Diseases Centre" CJSC will be ongoing and, from now on, every person deprived of liberty and diagnosed with Hepatitis C can be sure that he or she will be provided with full treatment for Hepatitis C.