Australian policy makers must act to reduce the spread of blood-borne viruses (BBVs) in prisons or we won’t be able to achieve critical public health goals like eliminating hepatitis C. This was the call in a consensus statement released by the Harm Reduction in Prisons Working Group.
Bringing Testing to Community
Author Cecilia LimPosted on Categories UncategorisedLeave a comment on Bringing Testing to Community Moorundi Aboriginal Controlled Health Service will soon be offering hepatitis C point of care testing (POCT) to the community, along with its new Clean Needle Program (CNP) at the service’s Murray Bridge site. The initiative is part of a push to bring hepatitis rapid testing to regional South Australia, under the umbrella of the world-first National Australia HCV Point of Care Testing Program (HCVPOCT).
Hep C Elimination Falling Behind
Author James MorrisonPosted on Categories UncategorisedLeave a comment on Hep C Elimination Falling Behind A Story of Mixed Success
The newly released 2022 annual report from the Burnet and Kirby institutes, Australia’s Progress Towards Hepatitis C Elimination, has a story of mixed success to tell.
Unrestricted access to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) through public subsidy since March 2016 means there is a real opportunity to reach the official government target of eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat in Australia by 2030.
Liver Self-Repair
Prof. Satdarshan Singh Monga discusses his team’s investigation into liver regeneration as an alternative to waiting for a transplant
The liver is known for its ability to regenerate (see last issue’s cover story for more information). It can completely regrow itself even after two-thirds of its mass has been surgically removed. But damage from medications, alcohol abuse or obesity can eventually cause the liver to fail. Currently, the only effective treatment for end-stage liver disease is transplantation.
Jake’s Story: Haemophilia & the Hepatitis C Cure
Author James MorrisonPosted on Categories UncategorisedLeave a comment on Jake’s Story: Haemophilia & the Hepatitis C Cure For Jake (name changed for privacy reasons), managing hepatitis C and taking care of his liver health has been a long journey, but every step has been worthwhile. Jake has mild haemophilia. He first found out he had hepatitis C as a young boy in the 1980s when the children’s hospital called him in for testing. At the time he was more worried that he might have HIV, as that was a big concern for people with haemophilia. This is his story as told to Haemophilia Foundation Australia.
Continue reading “Jake’s Story: Haemophilia & the Hepatitis C Cure”
It’s Your Right in SA
New hep C testing/treatment campaign’s successes
The Eliminate Hepatitis C Australia Partnership (EC Australia) was created in 2018 to bring together researchers, scientists, government, health services and community organisations to work toward eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat in Australia by 2030 (see last issue for more).