Since its discovery in 1989, the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a hepatotropic RNA virus, has emerged as a global health threat with an estimated 71 million individuals infected worldwide, the vast majority of whom remain oblivious to their condition. This bloodborne virus exhibits profound genetic heterogeneity, spanning seven major genotypes and numerous subtypes. HCV primarily targets hepatocytes, leading to chronic infection in nearly 80 % of cases, particularly among people who inject drugs (PWID) or people in prison (Tariq et al., 2022). The virus’s transmission pathway, unsafe medical procedures, intravenous drug use, and pre-screening-era blood transfusions contribute to its epidemiological complexity. Common clinical manifestations include fatigue, anorexia, dark urine, jaundice, malaise, constipation and nausea. The protracted asymptomatic phase exacerbates undetected viral persistence, leading to severe hepatic complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Epidemiological surveillance demonstrates critical HCV diagnostic disparities between low and middle-income countries (LMICs) (8 % case identification) and high-income nations (43 % diagnostic rates). Achieving WHO’s HCV elimination targets necessitates implementation of decentralized diagnostic architectures utilizing point-of-care (POC) technologies, task-shifting frameworks, and integrated service delivery models, supported by tiered laboratory networks and simplified treatment protocols in resource-constrained settings (Oru et al., 2021).
