Joy and hope were major themes of this year’s World Hepatitis Day, as results revealed how many people with the condition on the Border had been cured with innovative new medication.
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Breakthrough medicines with 90 per cent success rates were listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in March.
Murrumbidgee Local Health District HIV and related programs manager Alison Nikitas said more than 100 people were now on the medication.
“It’s something people have been waiting a long time for,” she said.
“We expected there would be a significant change with the introduction of these treatments and I think this has definitely been demonstrated with people’s willingness.
“We have had hepatitis C treatment for a long time, but the treatments themselves were quite nasty – they had bad side effects and the treatment duration was quite long as well.
“That put a lot of people off in actually being treated … I think the uptake at the time was probably 2 per cent, which is very low.”
Ms Nikitas said there was “joy” at the news the medicines would be available, reducing therapy by more than 30 weeks and having few reported side effects.
“The feedback has come back very positive and I think it’s given people hope, that they actually can be cured and live hepatitis C free,” she said.
Health and Aged Care Minister Sussan Ley said 5000 completed cases were deemed successful, of 20,000 Australians who’d signed up for treatment.
“Today’s seventh annual World Hepatitis Day is an occasion to celebrate the enormous strides our nation is making in the world-wide effort to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health concern,” she said.
Ms Nikitas said the key message on Thursday was about checking your status for hepatitis B or C with a simple blood test.
“If you have any risk factors, it would be advisable to be speaking to your GP and be tested,” she said.
“If you know you’re positive, then you can get appropriate management of the disease and also treatment.
“What we want to promote is you do have options now – there is a probable cure for most people available.”