Australia: workshop aimed at giving health professionals the knowledge to pass onto their community.

YOUTH workers across Orange gathered this week to examine ways to stop the spread of the hepatitis C virus among youth in the central west.
There are currently more than 3400 cases of hepatitis C in the western region of the state, with Orange youth workers determined to increase people’s understanding of the virus.

Project officer on the education and development team at Hepatitis NSW Bruce Cherry said the workshop was aimed at giving health professionals the knowledge to pass onto their community.

“It is the most common blood borne virus in Australia ... it’s one of the most common reasons for liver transplants,” Mr Cherry said.

“The most common mode of transmission is blood-to-blood contact between people sharing other peoples injecting equipment.

“It can also be contracted through unsterile tattooing or piercing equipment, and it is also possible for a hepatitis C positive mother to pass it on to her baby.”

He said getting prevention messages to the community before they are exposed to hepatitis C is vital.

The workshop saw representatives from various health services across Orange such as alcohol and drug services, rehabilitation services and community mental health.

Senior constable Helen Baker attended the training and said the information will be helpful for her work with youth at risk.

She said many young people don’t care about the virus, “they think they’re invincible and it isn’t going to happen to them.

Many people who are infected with the virus are unaware they have it according to Mr Cherry, with a specific blood test required to look for it.

Treatment of hepatitis C is available with a 50 to 80 per cent cure rate, depending on the genotype (sub group) of the virus.

He said the government run workshops will continue across the state over the next few months

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