In Progress

Help to eradicate Hepatitis C from New Zealand

Hepatitis C is a virus that is spread through blood to blood transfer, including those who had a blood transfusion before 1992. It causes low grade inflammation in the liver until people present with either liver failure or liver cancer decades later. People do not know they have it until it is too late.

Over the last decade Associate Professor Catherine Stedman (Gastroenterologist and Gut Foundation Trustee) has been at the forefront of developing new treatments to cure Hepatitis C. These treatments have been funded by Pharmac over the last year or two.

What we aim to do

• Test people in the workplace for Hepatitis C virus
• Offer treatment to those who test positive
• Reduce the risk of liver failure or liver cancer = save lives

How we will do it

• Approach companies from the construction sector to pay to have their staff tested (confidentially)
• Companies would pay for the tests (~$12 each)
• A nurse to co-ordinate would be provided by CDHB
• Follow up and treatment will be provided by CDHB or their GP

How your donation will help

• It takes time to approach companies and organise the testing of their staff.
• As this project will also be a research project looking at how effective Hepatitis C testing is in the workplace, consent and regulatory aspects have to be acrefully adhered to
• Coordination of the enrolment of companies, testing timetabling, ethical aspects of the research, arranging appropriate follow up will require a coordinator to manage this