Egypt is the first country globally to maintain WHO Gold Tier status for hepatitis C elimination, after slashing prevalence from about 10 percent to under 0.38 percent and screening more than 60 million people through the nationwide 100 million seha campaign.
In just over a decade, Egypt achieved one of the most rapid turnarounds in disease control ever documented. Following a remarkable decline in hepatitis C prevalence from approximately 10 percent down to less than 0.38 percent, the nation earned World Health Organization Gold Tier validation in 2023. On 14 October 2026, the World Health Organization provided official validation confirming that Egypt has maintained this elite designation.
The updated validation followed a thorough assessment covering the period from 2023 to 2025. The WHO Regional Validation Committee on HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections endorsed the milestone in July 2026, keeping Egypt ahead of major economies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, France, and Germany in reaching international health targets.
The 100 Million Seha Campaign and Local Antivirals
The primary driver behind this public health victory was the nationwide 100 Million Health campaign, locally known as 100 million seha. Backed by high-level political commitment and a whole-of-government approach, the initiative screened more than 60 million people.
In 2023, #Egypt made history by becoming the first country in the world to achieve @WHO Gold Tier status on the path to elimination of #hepatitis C.With over 60 million people screened and 4.5 million treated through the 100 Million Healthy Lives initiative, Egypt is showing… pic.twitter.com/2koPH3v5oO
— https://x.com/DrTedros/status/2110450577339539967
Beyond screening, the campaign delivered curative care to more than 4.5 million patients with hepatitis C. This massive treatment effort relied on locally produced direct-acting antiviral medicines, proving that domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing can support large-scale elimination programs.
Transitioning from Mass Screening to Primary Healthcare Integration
Having completed its intensive, large-scale screening drives, Egypt has shifted toward a sustainable, health-system-integrated approach. The Ministry of Health and Population has embedded routine case finding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention directly into primary health care networks and the universal health insurance system.
This ongoing evolution is governed by the 2025–2030 National Sustainability Plan for Viral Hepatitis.
Future Safeguards and Ongoing WHO Technical Support
Sustaining Gold Tier status requires continuous vigilance, and the WHO has worked alongside Egypt throughout its entire response. The UN health agency provided technical guidance to help translate global evidence into national action while strengthening testing and monitoring systems.
The WHO stated that the renewed validation reflects the commitment of the Ministry of Health and Population to sustaining high-impact prevention, testing, treatment and follow-up services. By reinforcing governance and laboratory standards through 2030, the country aims to protect its population from reinfection and cement its status as a global benchmark in infectious disease management.