Hasina, a Rohingya woman from Myanmar, fled to Bangladesh 10 months ago with her husband and four children. Diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 2020 during childbirth, she could not afford treatment back home.
Now living in Camp 8W in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, Hasina and two of her sons — Rashidullah and Rahimullah — recently tested positive during a large-scale screening by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
PCR tests confirmed active infections in Hasina and Rahimullah, while Rashidullah showed previous exposure. Hasina suspects the virus spread through unsafe medical practices in Myanmar, including untested blood transfusions and reused syringes.
Dr Sarwar Jahan, assistant medical coordinator at the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s office, called the infection rate “alarming”. “One in every five adult Rohingyas is Hepatitis C positive. Around 100,000 adults are currently infected,” he said.
Over 70 percent of the 5.5 lakh adult Rohingyas have been screened so far. Preliminary data show that 30 percent have the virus, with 20 percent confirmed to have active infections through PCR testing.
A project is underway to treat 100,000 infected individuals, with a goal to reach 50,000 by 2026. Treatment costs average Tk 90,000 per patient.
Dr Jahan also warned of rising infections among locals.
“We found a 2.3 percent infection rate among Bangladeshis in Ukhiya and Teknaf, against the national average of 1.1 percent,” he said.
He stressed the importance of awareness about safe medical practices — proper blood screening, disposable syringes, and single-use razors.
Shamsul Islam, a Camp 8W resident who arrived from Maungdaw in 2017, has been on Hepatitis C medication for a month. His wife also tested positive. He blamed reused syringes and shared blades in Myanmar.
Outside the MSF hospital, Nabi Hossain expressed concern after his mother-in-law and brother-in-law both tested positive. “We’re now worried for our three daughters and one son,” said his wife, Tahera. “Hepatitis is being detected in every house — it’s frightening.”
During a visit to the MSF treatment centre in Camp 8W, this correspondent saw volunteers conducting rapid diagnostic tests on all adults. Positive cases are sent for PCR testing, with results available the next day. Treatment starts immediately for confirmed infections.
Dr Wasim, deputy medical co-ordinator at MSF, said those with low infection levels undergo 12-week treatments, while those with higher levels require 24 weeks.Between 2020 and 2024, MSF tested 30,000 adults in the camps, identifying 17,000 RDT-positive cases, including over 10,000 confirmed by PCR. Those who tested PCR-positive have completed treatment, with a 95 percent success rate.
MSF now plans to treat another 30,000 patients over the next year through three hospitals serving nine camps.
Dr Wasim underscored the need for safe blood transfusions, single-use syringes, and hygienic shaving practices to curb the virus’s spread among both Rohingyas and locals.
