100 Million Healthy Lives was launched in September 2018 to eradicate HCV and treat noncommunicable diseases at early stages.

The presidential initiative targets 2.2 million first preparatory grade students this year, said Spokesman for the Health and Population Ministry Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar.

Infected students receive treatment free of charge, he added.

The current school year started in October -- mid-September for international schools -- and is set to end in May.

Earlier, 750,000 primary stage students were tested for anaemia, obesity, and dwarfism under the initiative from the start of the school year until late December.

Moreover, almost 1.6 million women were screened as part of the Mother and Fetus campaign in November 2022 for the early detection of Hepatitis B Virus, HIV, and syphilis infections amongst pregnant women.

Positive HCVcases are referred to one of the 24 liver disease committees affiliated with the General Authority for Health Insurance for further necessary tests, said the authority's general coordinator, Heba Said.