New Zealanders at risk of hepatitis C should make sure to
get a quick and easy finger-prick test on World Hepatitis
Day this Thursday (28 July), says Dr Nick Chamberlain,
National Director of Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand
National Public Health Service.
“Most people with
hepatitis C can be cured by a simple oral treatment that is
free with just a prescription.
“Around 40,000-45,000
New Zealanders are living with chronic hepatitis C. While
some people with hepatitis C experience unusual tiredness,
joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal pain,
many people don’t notice any symptoms until irreparable
damage has occurred.
“If left untreated, up to a
quarter of people with hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis,
which can progress to life-threatening liver cancer or liver
failure,” says Dr Nick Chamberlain.
“More than 200
New Zealanders continue to die from hepatitis C each year.
Many of these deaths could have been prevented by earlier
diagnosis and treatment because hepatitis C is now ‘easy
test, easy cure’.
“I strongly urge anyone at risk
of hepatitis C to get tested even if you don’t have any
symptoms.
“There are lots of places you can get a
hepatitis C finger-prick test including some pharmacies,
Kaupapa Māori health providers and needle exchanges, plus
there are mobile services visiting key locations. You can
find out where to get a hepatitis C test by visiting the Ministry of
Health website or by asking your GP.
“You’ll
get your test results within minutes and they’re 100
percent confidential – no questions asked.
“If you
do test positive, there’s an easy cure called Maviret that
is taken orally for about 8-12 weeks. It’s free with a
prescription and has a success rate of up to 98
percent.”
You are at risk of hepatitis C if
you:
· have ever injected drugs or shared
equipment
· have ever received a tattoo or body
piercing using unsterile equipment
· had a blood
product transfusion before 1992
· have ever lived in
a high-risk country or received medical treatment
there
· have ever been in prison
· were born
to a mother with hepatitis C.
Note to
editors:
Key locations where hepatitis C testing is
available this Thursday, World Hepatitis Day,
include:
· pharmacies across Northland
and Auckland
· Wellington City Mission, 19 Gordon
Place, Newtown (1.30-2.30pm)
· He Waka Tapu, 161
Pages Rd, Wainoni, Christchurch (1-3pm)
· Huntly West
Pharmacy, 4 Bridge Street, Huntly
· Gordon’s
Pharmacy, 1 Mangapapa Road, Gisborne
· Vivian Street
Pharmacy, 95 Vivian Street, New Plymouth
· Anglesea
Pharmacy, 9 Thackeray Street, Hamilton
· Mount
Medical Centre, 257 Maunganui Road, Mt Maunganui
· Te
Korowai General Practices in:
o Coromandel (225
Kapanga Road)
o Thames (210 Richmond Street)
o
Whitianga (2 Coghill Street)
o Paeroa (43 Belmont
Road)
o Te Aroha (221 Whitaker Street)
· Needle
exchanges in:
o New Plymouth (169 De Havilland
Drive)
o Hamilton (16 Vialou Street)
o Mount
Maunganui (21 Totara Street)
o Rotorua (1478 Hinemoa
Street)
o Wellington (233a Willis
Street)
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