Georgian Embassy honors stakeholders and partners in defeating Hepatitis C in Georgia
The Embassy of Georgia hosted a reception to celebrate the Hepatitis C Elimination Project in Georgia. The event was held at the historical Anderson House, in partnership with Georgian Artist David Datuna and Gilead Sciences, Inc. Charge d’Affaires Giorgi Tsikolia opened the reception, and his remarks were followed by a presentation on the Hepatitis C Elimination Project by Dr. Tamar Tchelidze. Executive Vice President of Gilead Sciences Inc. Gregg Alton also delivered remarks.
To honor this lifesaving initiative, the Life Award was presented to Gilead Sciences Inc. by New York-based contemporary artist David Datuna, recognizing its global leadership in combating the Hepatitis C epidemic. The Life Award is a heart-shaped art installation — made by Datuna in his signature style of laying a cascading veil of varying optical lenses over an intricate, multi-dimensional narrative. The piece is made of photographs of individuals sending pieces of their hearts in gratitude and support for Gilead’s unprecedented work in Georgia. This Smithsonian-recognized artist is a native of Georgia and is himself a cancer survivor. Since his personal encounter with a terminal disease, Datuna has become an advocate for the advancement of life-saving health care initiatives. The Life Award was instituted by Datuna as part of his philanthropic work and is awarded to corporations and individuals for outstanding contributions to society.
The World Health Organization estimates that the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), a communicable disease that can lead to liver cancer or death if not effectively treated, affects 150 million people globally. HCV has historically been particularly devastating in Georgia, with the disease affecting about 7% of the country’s population. While the human toll of HCV is significant, so is the economic burden, as the disease often affects people in the prime of their working lives. It also comes at a major cost to healthcare systems in countries with high HCV prevalence.
The elimination of HCV has recently become a possibility. The breakthrough therapies developed by Gilead, Inc now provide cure rates of over 90%, and enable much shorter treatment duration and few side effects compared to the previous therapies on the market.
In April 2015, the Government of Georgia started an unprecedented public-private partnership called the Hepatitis C Elimination Project. The initiative is the world’s first project to eliminate HCV on a national scale. The project is a result of close cooperation between the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Gilead Sciences Inc. and the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia. With therapies provided free of charge by Gilead Sciences, this life-changing program will cure an estimated 150,000 HCV patients in Georgia.
This partnership represents a milestone in public health achievements and bilateral cooperation, advancing Georgia’s health and economic security, while at the same time developing a model for addressing a severe health issue affecting about 150 million people around the world.
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