Hep C – TREAT IT, BEAT IT!

Campaign Urges Resourcing Of National Hepatitis C Strategy Be Prioritised.

Community Response and Janssen have joined forces to launch ‘Treat It, Beat It’, a campaign to raise awareness of hepatitis C and highlight the need for the HSE’s National Hepatitis C Strategy to be resourced as a matter of urgency.

An estimated 20,000 to 50,000 people are infected with hepatitis C in Ireland, with many of those infected undiagnosed and untreated1.   The HSE National Hepatitis C Strategy (published in 2012) laid out a clear plan to reduce transmission of hepatitis C and to improve the care of patients infected with hepatitis C in Ireland.   There have been many advances in the treatment and management of hepatitis C in recent years and very effective treatment is now available which eliminates the virus in over 80% of cases2.  However treatment numbers are disproportionately low.

Dr Shay Keating, Drug Treatment Centre Board  “To date, no funding has been made available for the implementation of the HSE’s Hepatitis C Strategy and while we are treating as many patients as possible, we are not getting as far ahead as we would like. Additional funding and a lift of the moratorium to recruit additional staff are needed in order to implement the national strategy fully. As clinicians, we have set ambitious treatment targets but we must be resourced in such a way as to make these targets achievable. “

As part of the ‘Treat It, Beat It’ campaign, Community Response and Janssen have developed a facility on the Community Response website for people to petition their local TDs urging them to ensure that resourcing of the National Hepatitis C Strategy is a priority in Budget 2015.

Nicola Perry of Community Response  “Hepatitis C is an infectious disease, often with no symptoms, and can lead to severe liver conditions.  Of those who develop chronic hepatitis C, an estimated 30% will develop cirrhosis; others will develop liver cancer, some of whom may require liver transplantation3.  Chronic hepatitis C is the most common reason for liver transplants in Europe and poses a significant public health burden. Over 70% of people affected by Hepatitis C in Ireland are IVDUs”

To support the ‘Treat It, Beat It’ campaign and petition your local public representative visit www.communityresponse.ie- it takes less than a minute..

Source: communityresponse.ie