India-based organisations, Chennai Liver Foundation and FIND, feature among the 71 organisations awarded a grant from Gilead Sciences Inc, for community-backed projects involving Hepatitis B, C and D.

The distribution of the $4-million grant was announced at the World Hepatitis Summit in Lisbon, a note from the company said. The two recipients were selected by an independent external review panel of global experts, including the World Hepatitis Alliance.

According to the World Health Organization, about 40 million individuals live with chronic HBV infection in India, and 6-12 million with chronic HCV infection. The data demonstrates that to achieve viral hepatitis elimination in the region, addressing the unmet needs associated with viral hepatitis is crucial. The grant funding will empower the two organizations to launch innovative projects aimed at driving testing, improving linkage to care, and elevating viral hepatitis on the public health agenda, the note said.

FIND, a not-for-profit organization, will utilise the funding to support micro-elimination efforts for hepatitis C by introducing innovative testing and linkage approaches for people who inject drugs (PWIDs). The other grantee, Chennai Liver Foundation, plans to scale an educational program amongst healthcare professionals, with the objective of achieving 90 percent proficiency in HBV prevention and treatment protocols in healthcare settings, the note said.

This marks the second cycle of Gilead’s ALL4LIVER Grant in Asia. Since 2021, the grant has been supporting campaigns led by local community organisations, aimed at driving testing, sharing knowledge of viral hepatitis, and raising awareness of the disease, it said. The 2023 Grant recipients were from regions including Africa, South America, Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America, it added.

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