Strategic Directions for Hepatitis C,

improving access to and uptake of hepatitis C treatment services.

HCTAG Hepatitis C Treatment Advisory Group , NZ ministry of health

Thanks to NZ minister of health Hon Tony Ryall for releasing this draft copy

A few points that I found interesting the context for HCV Planning

The 50,000 figure with 1300 new infections per year, and we are treating around 600

“unless annual numbers of HCV positive New Zealanders receiving anti viral therapy  were to increase by % 300”

This would put the treatment numbers ahead of the new infections. At the moment we are going backwards every year with less treated than catching hepatitis C.

The current numbers are a joke, a token effort from The Ministry of health they are doing something just nowhere near enough to make an impact on the epidemic.

The pool of infected is growing every year, I could wear myself saying this, but fortunately this report lays it all out, in a much more logical manner then me.

Will anything change  ? NO .

The Ministry of health  are growing a massive public health disaster and there poor quality decision making and public health policy is growing the epidemic and future heath costs

Other recommendations

Key action areas increasing diagnosis

Key action area 3: Increasing the percentage of all people with HCV who have had the disease diagnosed

Key facts

An estimated 75 percent of the New Zealand population with HCV are unaware that they have the disease.

The major barriers to treatment in New Zealand with HCV infection are that people are unaware of their infection, or that the diagnosis is delayed until the liver disease is advanced, by, which time treatment is less effective. Because most people with HCV infection feel well or only have non-specific symptoms, early diagnosis requires targeted testing of all people who are at risk of previous exposure to HCV

• The largest undiagnosed pool of people with HCV are likely to be those aged 40-60 years old, who were infected 25-40 years ago, who at that time occasionally or even  once) injected illicit drugs, but went on to lead ‘conventional  Iives’.

This report should have been released months ago and the country can’t afford to wait to implement improvements. Absolute BS that it doesn’t in clued a implementation plan.

Its’ another reasonable report onHepatitis c in New Zealand it is a shame it will never be acted on and people will die and they will die increasingly in large numbers and they will die utterly preventable deaths. unless there is a significant increase in testing, diagnosis and treatment the number of people with end-stage liver disease – that is decompensated cirrhosis and liver cancer – will continue to increase . We are looking at: unnecessary death.

Draft copy released under OIA 29 July 09

http://www.hcv.org.nz/hepatitiscstrategynz.pdf (3 mgb file)

Meanwhile in England Hepatitis C out of control

undiagnosed; too few of those diagnosed are receiving the recommended treatment; and there are worrying regional variations in hepatitis C healthcare and delivery of treatment across the country. Of particular concern is the number of new infections each year – more than five times the number of people being successfully treated – indicating that prevention methods are not working. Clearly, the management of hepatitis C is out of control.

http://www.hepcoutofcontrol.org.uk/home.html

Hepatitis C is not slowing down in New Zealand it’s growing exponentially

RECENT TRENDS IN ILLEGAL DRUG USE IN NEW ZEALAND, 2006

a frightening reality vividly evident in this report

http://www.ndp.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagescm/1109/$File/idms-2006-final-report-v2.pdf

“Forty-six percent of the frequent drug users had used injection equipment

after someone else in the past six months”

15.7 Summary of injecting behaviour

Forty-six percent of the frequent drug users had used injection equipment after someone else in

the past six months

Thirty-five percent of the frequent drug users had not always used a new sterile needle and

syringe when injecting drugs in the previous six months

The prevention effort of needle exchanges may have slowed the epidemic but even that seems questionable with behavior like above, the ongoing failure to address the problem is costing New Zealand dearly and is going to continue unless something is done.

Increase prevention efforts audit needle exchanges to optimise their services.

Anonymous community pharmacy blood testing for hep C  to try and reach the %75 of New Zealanders who are undiagnosed.

Show some leadership Ministry of Health and follow through invest in testing diagnosis and treatment.

best of health

www.hcv.org.nz