UPDF Receives Hepatitis C drugs from Egypt

Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have received a consignment of Hepatitis C drugs from Egypt, sufficient to treat 500 patients.
 
The drugs were received on Monday by SFC Commander Maj Gen David Mugisha who represented f the Chief of Defense Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and Dr Charles Olaro from the Ministry of Health.
 
The drugs were delivered by Gen Mohamed Ashraf of Egypt's General Intelligence Service (GIS), which operates the factory that manufactures the Hepatitis C drugs
 
According to the estimates contained in the World Health Organization 2024 Global Hepatitis report, 254 million people were living with hepatitis B while 50 million people were living with hepatitis C. The African Regions bears 63 percent of new hepatitis infections.
 
The reports further indicates that for hepatitis C, 36 percent had been diagnosed and 20 percent (12.5 million) had received curative treatment. The statistics fall well below the global targets to treat 80 percent of people living with chronic hepatitis B and C by 2030.
 
The drugs from Egypt follows a recent visit by Gen Muhoozi to Cairo where he held discussions with the former Director General of GIS, Maj Gen Abbel Kamal on Uganda's need for Hepatitis C drugs.
 
Brig Gen Dr Patrick Ochen, UPDF Director of Medical Services- UPDF said the drugs received shall help the officers of UPDF to get enough treatment and get cured of the disease.
 
“UPDF has cases of Hepatitis C coming from Eastern Uganda, Karamoja sub region, Acholi and Teso regions, but with these drugs, Hepatitis C will come to an end,” Brig Gen Dr Patrick Ochen said.
  
The reception of these Hepatitis C drugs follows Uganda’s recent acquisition of vaccines and equipment from Egypt to support the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries in combating Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).