This thesis of Blessing Dzingirai explores the health technology assessment aspects of the interventions used in the fight against viral infections in Zimbabwe. These include assessment of the progress towards the elimination of viral hepatitis, estimating the cost of screening and treatment of hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection, evaluating health related quality of life(HRQoL) of people living with HIV(PLWH), assessment of the cost-effectiveness of screening and treating HCV and situational and stakeholder analysis of health technology assessment in Zimbabwe. The progress made in the elimination of viral hepatitis in Zimbabwe includes safer blood transfusions, the use of the hepatitis B vaccine, and safer medical injections. But there are still gaps in testing and treating hepatitis B and C infections and offering the hepatitis B birth dose to newborns. A simplified way for screening and treating HCV infection is feasible at a tertiary hospital in Zimbabwe, but it costs US$ 2,448 per person, which is not affordable to many patients. Despite the high costs, the intervention to screen and treat HCV infection among high-risk populations reduces the number of deaths due to liver disease and is cost-effective. Finally, there is a need for the establishment of a transparent and evidence-based system for making health decisions.
