Aim of the project
The overall objective of the CUTTS HepC Project is to generate evidence that supports efforts to reach people who inject drugs by embedding hepatitis C testing and treatment services within the community based harm reduction program and piloting the use of two novel/underused products aimed at reducing risks associated with injecting drugs.
Importance of the project/programme
The hepatitis C model of care study will assess the accuracy of the shortened read-time of existing rapid hepatitis C antibody tests for identifying those with current hepatitis C infection, trialling the rapid initiation of hepatitis C treatment (“same-day”), and explore the role of pooled RNA testing for monitoring achieving cure and re-infection. The study will generate evidence on the feasibility, utility, effectiveness and acceptability of these interventions.
The LDSS study will include a strong community-led values and preferences component led by INPUD that will feed into a broad distribution of preferred LDSS option/s at selected sites. Data on the actual use of LDSS when made available and HIV and hepatitis C incident infections will also be collected. This data will be used to inform the growing global evidence base to support the effective implementation of LDSS as an additional harm reduction tool for reducing injecting-related harms and blood-borne virus acquisition.
The long-acting depot buprenorphine trial will assess the values and preferences of people who inject drugs and assess the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of this intervention. This data will feed into mathematical modelling on the cost-effectiveness of this intervention to support market-shaping efforts.
Value of the project/programme
The CUTTS HepC Project will contribute to closing the HCV prevention and testing gap: through increased access to new / underused tools for prevention, enhanced simplified testing protocols and through ‘treatment as prevention’ approach, among people who inject drugs
The project will directly benefit those enrolled in the studies who may not otherwise have access to these interventions and will generate evidence to support increased access to these interventions after the completion of the project.
The evidence generated from this project will be used to inform country-specific and global policies.
Partnerships and collaboration
To ensure implementation and/or monitoring of the activities, the project will facilitate.
- Regular meetings with peer educators and outreach workers to bring more quality of the program.
- Raise awareness and sensitize PWUD community about the CUTTS Project.
- Identifying, screening, selecting, and enrolling research participants in accordance with the research protocol criteria, in collaboration with the MdM team.
- Distribution of Low Dead Space Syringes (LDSS) to beneficiaries.
- Collection and incineration of used needles and syringes within hotspots.
- Mobilization and linkage of beneficiaries with HIV / HCV testing.
- With support from Temeke Referral Regional Hospital, MUKIKUTE will conduct HCV testing and treatment at the community safe space.
- Conduct follow-up for clients on HCV treatment.
Funded by Unitaid in collaboration with Medecins du Monde, International Network for People who use Drugs (INPUD) and University of Bristol.
