Hep C Community Summit, 25-26 Nov, Marseille

“Access4all in Prisons”

Paschalis VavelidisProject Manager

Hellenic Liver Association “Prometheus”

Elimination of

HCV

In July 2017, the Hellenic National Plan for

Hepatitis C was announced in alignment

with the World Health Organization goals

for the eradication of hepatitis C virus

(HCV) by the year 2030

In Greece is estimated that 74,000-134,000

patients living with chronic hepatitis, with

only 20-30% of them are aware of their

disease status

“Prometheus” Interventions:

General population

• Persons Who Inject Drugs (PWID)✔

• Prison inmates✔

prevalence of HCV in prisonsDolan et al, Lancet 2016

Prison Facilities’ High-risk Environment

1st

Approach

Thessaloniki-Serres

Kriti

Athens

Patra

Greek Prison

Data 2019

10.423 prisoners

2.372 prisoners convicted of drug related offenses

Data : Greek Ministry of Justice (October 2019)

Korydallos

Prison

Korydallos Prison Complex is the main

prison of Greece

Population 1721

2017 – 2018 we have implemented a

program “HCV-HIV-HBV-Tuberculosis in a

Prison Complex in Greece” in

collaboration with National and

Kapodistrian University of Athens

328 people were tested for infectious

diseases

Diavata &

Kassandra

Prisons

November 2018 to November 2019:

Screening - antibodies test

864 prisoners in total

133 anti-HCV+

50% of prisoners lack insurance coverage

Methodology

Collaboration

Establishment

Prisons staff

meetings

Searching and

mapping prisoners’

medical files

Checking for

potential releases

or transfers

Anti bodies

Screening

Bloods samplings &

Results

Registry Treatment

Conclusions

Awareness

Myths & Stigma

Frequent prison transfers

Need for repetition of similar interventions

Lack of insurance coverage

Lack of staff burdens the treatment of prisoners

Judge a Society By Its Prisons F.D

Paschalis Vavelidis

pasxalish@gmail.com

+306948579292

Project Manager – HELPA “Prometheus”