Workshop: From prison to community: overcoming barriers to hepatitis C elimination - OPEN NOW FOR REGISTRATION
| Friday, October 2, 2026 |
| 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM |
Details
From prison to community: overcoming barriers to hepatitis C elimination
People in prisons and other closed settings are disproportionately affected by hepatitis C, with persistent gaps in prevention, testing, diagnosis, treatment and continuity of care. Structural barriers, stigma, limited access to harm reduction and fragmented prison and community health services can make transitions at release particularly vulnerable to treatment interruption and loss to follow-up.
Join this interactive workshop to explore practical, evidence-informed solutions for strengthening HCV prevention, testing and treatment in prisons and ensuring continuity of care before, during and after release. Drawing on country experiences, Unitaid-supported investments and the European Toolkit for the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis in Prisons (EuroHePP), participants will identify key barriers, transferable good practices, remaining gaps and priority actions to support scale-up. The discussion will contribute to WHO's technical work on strengthening hepatitis C services in prisons and other closed settings.
To register for the workshop, please contact us at GPIDNconference@ashm.org.au.
Speaker
Dr Antons Mozalevskis
Technical Officer
WHO
From prison to community: overcoming barriers to hepatitis C elimination
9:00 AM - 11:00 AMBiography
Dr Antons Mozalevskis is the technical officer for key populations at the WHO Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI programme, based in Geneva, Switzerland. His background includes 7 years of clinical experience followed by 10 years of public health policy and research. He also has extensive experience of engaging with human rights and HIV NGOs on national and international level.
Dr Fadi Meroueh
President
HWB
Facility-level experience in delivering hepatitis C care in prison and strengthening linkage and continuity around release.
9:00 AM - 11:00 AMBiography
Dr Fadi Meroueh is a medical doctor and head of prison healthcare at Montpellier Remand Prison, France. He has over 20 years of experience in prison health, addiction medicine and continuity of care. He leads the Montpellier model for hepatitis C micro-elimination, integrating testing, treatment and post-release linkage within a unified care pathway.
Mr Vladimer Getia
Head Of Public Health State Programs And Regional Managment
National Center For Disease Control And Public Health Of Georgia
Georgia's experience integrating prison-based hepatitis C services into the national elimination response, including implementation lessons and remaining gaps.
9:00 AM - 11:00 AMBiography
Vladimer Getia is currently the Head of the Public Health State Programs and Regional Management Department at the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia (NCDC). He holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from Georgian Technical University and completed the Health Administration program for Health Manager Skills Enhancement.
Ms Mercy Nyakowa
Program Officer Viral Hepatitis & Hcv/hbv Study Coord In Prison
National Aids And Sti Control Program ,ministry Of Health Kenya
Kenya’s country experience integrating prison-based hepatitis C services into the national hepatitis response, including implementation lessons and remaining gaps.
9:00 AM - 11:00 AMBiography
Mercy Nyakowa is a Program Officer at the National AIDS & STI Control Programme within the Kenya Ministry of Health. She has extensive experience working on HIV and infectious disease research with people who inject drugs and other key populations.
Dr Svetlana Doltu
Director
NGO AFI
Moldova’s country experience integrating prison-based hepatitis C services into the national hepatitis response, including implementation lessons and remaining gaps.
9:00 AM - 11:00 AMBiography
Dr. Svetlana Doltu is a Moldovan public health expert and Director of NGO AFI, specializing in prison health, TB, HIV, and harm reduction. She has led penitentiary health services and now advises WHO, UNODC, UNAIDS, the Global Fund, and the Council of Europe on the right to health and human rights in closed settings. With over two decades of experience, she bridges grassroots interventions and international policy to ensure equitable healthcare for marginalized populations.
Dr. Anna Meteliuk
Project Manager: Research
Alliance For Public Health
Kyrgyzstan’s experience integrating prison-based hepatitis C services into the national hepatitis response.
9:00 AM - 11:00 AMBiography
Anna work for Alliance for Public Health (Ukraine) coordinating a research project on expanding community-based access to HCV testing, diagnostics and treatment for people who inject drugs in Kyrgyzstan.
Prof Lara Tavoschi
Associate Professor Of Public Health
University Of Pisa
European Toolkit for the Elimination of Viral Hepatitis in Prisons (EuroHePP)
9:00 AM - 11:00 AMBiography
Lara Tavoschi, is associate professor of Public Health at the University of Pisa. She served at the Italian National Institute of Health and the European Centre for Disease prevention and Control. She coordinates national and European projects on prevention and control of communicable diseases, with a focus on prison health.
Chairperson
Antons Mozalevskis
Technical Officer
WHO
Lara Tavoschi
Associate Professor Of Public Health
University Of Pisa
