{"id":3250,"date":"2021-11-08T13:10:16","date_gmt":"2021-11-08T03:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hepatitissa.asn.au\/blog\/?p=1937"},"modified":"2024-05-20T09:46:03","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T00:16:03","slug":"hepatitis-b-targets-australia-23-years-behind-on-care-24-on-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hepatitissa.asn.au\/communitynews\/2021\/11\/hepatitis-b-targets-australia-23-years-behind-on-care-24-on-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Hepatitis B Targets – Australia 23 years behind on care, 24 on treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Australia still has a long way to go to achieve its National Hepatitis B Strategy targets aimed at eliminating the disease by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest report from the Doherty Institute’s Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project reports that while overall infant immunisation reached the national target of 95% by 2020, coverage was low among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Overall treatment uptake for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is only half the 2020 target of 20% and for chronic hepatitis B care (i.e. treatment or monitoring), is less than half the targeted 50%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nation-wide, uptake of treatment and care in both hepatitis B declined in 2020. This was not an unexpected result in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Regions which saw the greatest declines in treatment uptake were Central and Eastern Sydney, Hunter New England and Central Coast, Country SA, and Western Sydney. Regions where monitoring uptake reduced the most were Murrumbidgee, South Eastern Melbourne, Eastern Melbourne and North Western Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Northern Territory<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

With only a year left, how close can we get to achieving those goals? At the launch of the 2020 Viral Hepatitis Mapping Report this week, the Northern Territory was identified as an example the rest of the country could look at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uptake of hepatitis B treatment and care in the Northern Territory (NT) made huge strides between 2016 and 2020. Hepatitis B treatment uptake rose from less than half the national average in 2016 to just below national average in 2020, and the Northern Territory\u2019s hepatitis B care uptake at 24.8% is above the national average (22.6%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the report\u2019s lead author, Dr Jennifer MacLachlan, as well as other participants at the launch, this achievement was the result of long-term planning and effort, and working with people on the ground to find solutions that are culturally friendly and accessible for communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encouragingly, ten of Australia\u2019s 324 Statistical Areas 3s* have already reached the 2022 treatment target of 20% and three have reached the national target of 50% care uptake. (See charts below.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2020 Hepatitis B Treatment Uptake – Top Regions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
– Courtesy of Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project National Report 2020<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n


2020 Hepatitis B Care Uptake – Top Regions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
– Courtesy of Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project National Report 2020<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
South Australia<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

South Australia ranks fifth (8.8%) in hepatitis B treatment uptake and seventh (16.7%) in care uptake out of the eight states and territories. The Adelaide Primary Health Network (PHN) had a treatment uptake of 9.9% and a care uptake of 18.4%. Uptake in sub-areas Charles Sturt, Port Adelaide-West, Port Adelaide-East, Burnside, Marion and Salisbury were among the highest in the PHN. (See chart below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite this, in a number of these higher-uptake areas, the number of people starting treatment dropped during 2020, in contrast to previous years where new treatment uptakes were increasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
– Courtesy of Viral Hepatitis Mapping Project 2020<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

According to the Report, Australia\u2019s National Hepatitis B Strategy (2018\u20132022) targets include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n