Hepatitis C New Zealand

September 24, 2008

Social Injustice is killing people on a grand scale

Filed under: Hepatitis C New Zealand — Tags: , , , — admin @ 5:41 pm

Hepatitis C sufferers miss out on treatment

Social Injustice is killing people on a grand scale

“the unequal distribution of health damaging experiences is not in any sense a ‘natural’phenomenon but is the result of a toxic combination of poor social policies and programmes, unfair economic arrangements, and bad politics.”

WHO commission on social determinants of health.

This statement pretty much sums up New Zealand health policy so far on Hepatitis C.

New Zealand treats approximately 600 people per year for Hepatitis C

Of the 600 treated approximately 60% over all will clear the virus

So 360 people a year are cured (Sustained Virological Response) of Hepatitis C

Approximately 50,000 New Zealanders have hepatitis C

So in New Zealand 99.38 % of New Zealanders with Hepatitis C are not being treated in any given year..

A limitation in New Zealand, is accurate data on the quality and timeliness of health care for hepatitis C there is little research done and their needs to be a grater attempt to measure accurately the scale of the problem

The official ignorance regarding this important disease is part of a circle of neglect. The costs, and mortality and morbidity rates of hepatitis C do not cause alarm because they are not measured.

Hepatitis C needs a policy to decrease the rate of new infections, identify those already infected and provide effective therapy for those who need it. To meet the unmet health needs of the 49640 New Zealanders with hepatitis C.

figures above come from NZ ministry of health press release 08

http://www.hcv.org.nz/minhealth08HDAY.html

 

Best of health

www.hcv.org.nz

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 11, 2008

Who to tell Hepatitis C and disclosure ?

Filed under: Hepatitis C New Zealand — Tags: , , , , , , , — admin @ 6:44 am

 hcvdisclosure.jpg                                             Hepatitis C is a disease with a attached stigma for many of past drug use and for others who    have contracted Hepatitis C in other ways they still must deal with a perception of past drug use.

For some people, disclosing (or telling others) that they have hepatitis C is not easy.

You may be worried that you will be treated differently once people know you have hepatitis C.

It’s a personal choice lets consider some of the issues involved.

Perhaps you will be discriminated against?

Maybe your friends will no longer want to be around you?

Will you lose your job or be treated differently at work?

It is important that you find out as much as you can about hepatitis C before you tell others. Giving people accurate information about hepatitis C (including booklets, pamphlets and information from the Internet) often helps correct wrong ideas they may already have about hepatitis C, and people with hepatitis C.

A positive, supportive response is the best outcome, but you might also get a negative reaction, and it’s important to be prepared for this. If this happens, remember that it is because of the beliefs and understandings of the person you have disclosed to. People react the way they do because of the information (or lack of information) they already have about hepatitis C and people with hepatitis C, and their beliefs about that information.

There are benefits in telling people you have hepatitis C.

Friends and family members can offer valuable support at a time when you may be feeling uncertain about your future and scared about your health.

They can help you cope with your feelings when you find out you have hepatitis C.

They can help you deal with the physical and mental challenges of treatment and can support you if you are discriminated against because you have hepatitis C.

There are lots of issues around disclosure and Hepatitis C If you want to talk to someone about your situation

Hepatitis C Resource Centre’s

Telecom Toll Free 0800 224 372 (NZ Only) number will connect you to your closest centre

If you feel you have been discriminated against in a Healthcare setting one option is to talk to the friendly staff at the Health and Disability Commission (New Zealand) who promote the rights and responsibilities of consumers and providers and to resolve complaints Phone 0800 555 050 (New Zealand only)

Another great resource is Living with Hepatitis C in New Zealand Narratives of Chaos and Quest by Magdalena Harris which discusses disclosure and many other issues facing peopl with Hepatitis C in New Zealand

http://www.hcv.org.nz/magindex.html

A fantastic Australian resource is MY CHOICE TO TELL : DISCLOSURE INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE WITH HEPATITIS C produced by Hepatitis Australia Publications, available from their website http://www.hepatitisaustralia.com/resources/publications.html

and discusses many issues including

Do I Have to Disclose?

Disclosing to Friends and Family

Disclosure and Children

Disclosing at Work

Disclosing to Health Care Workers

Best of Health

www.hcv.co.nz

 

September 4, 2008

another day another 3.5 New Zealanders infected with hepatitis C

Filed under: Hepatitis C New Zealand — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 5:53 pm

Nothing to eventful happened this week to me any way.

But unfortunately it is predicted another 25 New Zealand people caught hepatitis C http://www.hcv.org.nz/minhealth08HDAY.html

so something eventful did happen in their lives

This is what the virus looks like HCV Virus

it invaded their bodies so silently, They probably don’t know it yet, but the narrative of their lives is starting to change, what’s their future going to be like ?

Will they unknowingly pass the infection on.

The pool of infected, they have fallen in to, already has 45,000 to 50,000 members struggling to stay a float.

It not an exclusive club you can join any where blood is swapped.

What are their chances of being treated, slim today but may be in the future more people will be treated ?

Aware

In Otago the district health board has recently answered some questions about hepatitis C

http://www.hcv.org.nz/otagoaudit08.html

A similar number of people are going to treated in 2009 as 2008 26 people

why so low ?

well we asked them that to

“Treatment delays are primarily related to budget and staff shortages are a secondary reason.”

So it all comes down to budgets money.

This no doubt would be the answer that all 21 District Health Board’s in New Zealand would give, the bottom line money.

competing demands on scarce health dollars.

Why should they invest more in Hepatitis C treatment ?

It saves them money, it costs more in the long term to look after people with advanced liver disease than it does to treat them with interferon.

“a multiplier effect in terms of increased health costs through extra GP visits, diagnostic tests, hospital outpatient follow-up, and inpatient admissions for liver cirrhosis and liver transplants. “The figures should be of concern to health planners. There has been little official recognition of the implications of these escalating costs which will run into many millions of dollars in future,” says Ian Sheerin.

http://www.hcv.org.nz/ecocostnz4prt2.html

So whats the plan for the future ?

An advisory group has been established to assist the Ministry of Health and District Health boards improve hepatitis C treatment services to all people with hepatitis C, who are entitled to publicly funded health services. A major component of the $30 million package announced in December last year is an additional $5 million per year to be invested to improve access to, and uptake of, hepatitis C treatment services.

This advisory group has written a report that will be released soon. ?

We all await it with high expectations of an improvement in the current situation.

But realistically …………………

best of health

www.hcv.org.nz

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