Tajikistan is a Central Asian country with a population of approximately 10 million, with an estimated hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence of 3% and hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence of 5%.

Project Objectives

This project aims to:

  1. Demonstrate the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for screening adults for HCV and HBV in both urban and rural settings.
  2. Train family doctors at local clinics to manage HCV- and HBV-positive patients without advanced liver disease.
  3. Simplify HCV testing and treatment protocols to improve linkage to care among newly diagnosed individuals.
  4. Collaborate with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to evaluate economic impact and implement a one-time nationwide adult screening program for HCV and HBV.
  5. Support government adoption of sustainable funding for testing and treatment, with the goal of eliminating HCV and HBV in Tajikistan by 2030.

Phase I (2026)

Disease Burden and Budget Impact Analyses

CDA Foundation (CDAF) will collaborate with the MoH to estimate HCV and HBV prevalence across age groups, genders, and regions, and to assess the financial implications of a national elimination program.

HCV Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) Donation

CDAF will donate 30,000 WHO-prequalified HCV RDTs and cover costs related to customs clearance and distribution to participating regions.

Training of Nurses for HCV Screening

CDAF will fund and train master trainers who will visit participating polyclinics to train local nurses in administering HCV RDTs, recording results, and reporting data to the central government.

Training of Family Doctors

CDAF, in partnership with the University of Maryland, has developed Russian-language training modules for general practitioners (GPs) to treat HCV. Based on the Ascend study in Washington, D.C., these modules demonstrate that trained GPs and nurses can achieve sustained virologic response (SVR) rates comparable to specialists. CDAF will support a train-the-trainer model to scale GP training nationwide.

Project Management

CDAF will fund regional project managers to ensure screening targets are met and data is accurately reported to the central government.

Data Analysis and Reporting

CDAF will conduct statistical analyses of screening data to determine HCV prevalence by age, gender, and region. These findings will inform updated disease burden and budget impact estimates to support national program funding.

Phase II (2027)

Phase II will replicate the Phase I model for hepatitis B, including testing, training, treatment, and data analysis.

Funding

The project is co-funded equally by the Gilead Foundation and the CDA Foundation. The program is treatment-agnostic and does not require patients or the government to procure specific medications.