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Table 4 Civil society organization HCV activity summary

From: Hepatitis C in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: a survey of epidemiology, treatment access and civil society activity in eleven countries

Category

Activities

Awareness raising

National campaigns to inform decision makers and the general public

Patient ‘schools’ on access to treatment and other HCV issues

Media notices on HCV

Educational videos

Mobilization

Establishing networks of individuals and organizations to advocate HCV issues

Implementing letter writing/petition signing campaigns, e.g. a ‘Treatment Waiting List’ and lower price requests to pharmaceutical companies

Organizing research and reporting on HCV needs

Organizing CSOs to meet with pharmaceutical companies

Advocacy

Encouraging national treatment programs and guideline development

Organizing campaigns aiming to bring about favorable policy and response from governments, industry and donors

Negotiating lower prices with pharmaceutical companies

Specific opposition to pharmaceutical patent applications and support for alternate licensing

Testing and treatment

Conducting screening test campaigns to identify HCV- antibody positive people (that also raise awareness and provide evidence for advocacy)

Implementing treatment programs integrated into existing services, particularly for the disproportionately affected/marginalized, e.g. PWID

Seeking donor funding for expanded treatment programs using updated protocols

Providing community-level and technical input on national program planning and guideline committees

  1. EECA Civil Society Involvement in HCV Work