Taiwan achieves WHO Gold Tier in historic hepatitis C elimination push

Taiwan has reached a major milestone in its fight against hepatitis C. The country now meets the Gold Tier standards set by the World Health Organization's (WHO) Path to Elimination framework. This achievement comes after years of expanded screening, treatment access, and harm reduction measures across the island. Hepatitis C remains a global health challenge, with an estimated 58 million people infected worldwide. No vaccine exists, but the disease is curable through direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies, usually taken over 8 to 12 weeks. The WHO aims to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, urging countries to scale up prevention, testing, and treatment.

Taiwan's success stems from a mix of strict safety measures and targeted healthcare policies. The country ensures 100% screening of donated blood and enforces safe medical injection practices nationwide. For people who inject drugs, Taiwan distributes over 150 syringes per person annually as part of its harm reduction strategy. These efforts have helped prioritise high-risk groups and those with limited access to care. The results speak for themselves. By June 2025, around 90.2% of individuals with chronic hepatitis C in Taiwan had been diagnosed. Of those, 92.6% received treatment. The sustained push against the virus has also led to a noticeable drop in liver cancer cases and deaths. Taiwan recently submitted its Hepatitis C Elimination Report to the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office for formal validation under the Gold Tier criteria. Taiwan's progress mirrors broader trends in countries with universal health coverage. Since the WHO's 2015 Glasgow Declaration on Viral Hepatitis, nations like South Korea, Japan, and Thailand have seen sharp declines in new hepatitis C cases. Global incidence fell from roughly 1.75 million in 2015 to about 1 million by 2022, largely due to wider DAA access and improved screening programmes.

Taiwan's Gold Tier recognition highlights the impact of systematic screening, treatment, and harm reduction. The country's approach has cut liver disease rates and set an example for others aiming to meet the WHO's 2030 elimination target. Validation of its elimination report will confirm Taiwan's position as a leader in combating hepatitis C.