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The development of highly effective direct-acting antivirals has made it possible to imagine the global elimination of hepatitis C, which afflicts an estimated 58 million people and causes 290 000 deaths globally each year. 1 Inspired by this possibility, in 2016, WHO established the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis globally by 2030. 2

However, there are several challenges that stand in the way. For instance, direct-acting antivirals are prohibitively expensive, especially in countries that cannot procure generic versions. Middle-income countries also struggle to procure generic directacting antivirals as they are excluded from voluntary licensing agreements, which allow only specific countries to procure generic direct-acting antivirals from manufacturers licensed by the patent holders. Many patients, especially those from marginalised populations, also face difficulties in accessing testing and treatment services for …