Dani Alves, now a Juventus player, has donated 300 treatments for individuals in Bolivia infected wtih the Hepatitis C virus, which affects the liver, as part of the project 'Tour n' Coure' which aims to rid the world of the disease.

Full screen Dani Alves, working for a Hep C free world

Alves hopes to save lives

In a message sent over Skype, the former Barcelona right back, said there are around 600 people with Hepatitis C in the Latin American country, and the majority of them are people with few economic resources. Alves said it would be these people who benefit from his humanitarian aid. "If I manage to save a life I'll be happier than I am right now", said Alves.

The medicines donated are Sofosbuvir and Daclatasvir, and will be administered as part of a national program of prevention and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.

Sofosbuvir, sold under its brand name of Solvadi, has been the subject of controversy over its huge cost in most developed countries (e.g. over 84,000 US dollars in the USA), however the developer Gilead has lowered prices for developing countries.

Hepatitis C leads to cirrhosis of the liver

Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus affects approximately 170 million people worldwide and is a major cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer.