Access to Hepatitis C Treatment in Cameroon: Comparison of a Simplified Test and Treat Strategy to a Standard Strategy

The ACCESS+ strategy will rely on four components: (1) same-day on-site rapid anti-HCV and HCV RNA testing (rapid diagnostic test and GeneXpert), (2) same-day on-site pan-genotypic DAA treatment initiation (sofosbuvir 400 mg/velpatasvir 100 mg once daily for 12 weeks), (3) minimal clinical and biological monitoring, and (4) management of patients in non-specialist services by trained general medical doctors and counselors (community health workers, nurses or social workers).

The ACCESS+ strategy will rely on four components: (1) same-day on-site rapid anti-HCV and HCV RNA testing (rapid diagnostic test and GeneXpert), (2) same-day on-site pan-genotypic DAA treatment initiation (sofosbuvir 400 mg/velpatasvir 100 mg/voxilaprevir 100mg) once daily for 12 weeks, (3) minimal clinical and biological monitoring, and (4) management of patients in non-specialist services by trained general medical doctors and counselors (community health workers, nurses or social workers).

In the standard strategy based on routine medical practice in Cameroon, anti-HCV positive participants will be referred to and managed by gastroenterologists who will initiate pan-genotypic DAA treatment initiation (sofosbuvir 400 mg/velpatasvir 100 mg/voxilaprevir 100mg) once daily for 12 weeks, and the patients' management will be closer. However, the process for screening and treatment initiation will be longer.

In the standard strategy based on routine medical practice in Cameroon, anti-HCV positive participants will be referred to and managed by gastroenterologists who will initiate pan-genotypic DAA treatment initiation (sofosbuvir 400 mg/velpatasvir 100 mg) once daily for 12 weeks, and the patients' management will be closer. However, the process for screening and treatment initiation will be longer.