Almost 300,000 people in Australia are living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C, putting them at increased risk of chronic liver disease and liver cancer.
The good news is there is an effective vaccine and treatment available to prevent and manage chronic hepatitis B, and hepatitis C can be cured.
As part of this commitment, the WA Department of Health recently rolled out a new burst of the “Look after Your Blood” campaign and launched the Hep B Hub WA.
The “Look after Your Blood” campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of blood borne virus (BBV) prevention and testing among Aboriginal people. It has a specific focus on hepatitis B and hepatitis C; it encourages people to get tested and raises awareness of the range of treatments available. For more information, visit LookAfterYourBlood (external site).
The Hep B Hub WA is a state-wide clinical advice service, provided by Royal Perth Hospital, that provides General Practitioners (GPs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) with online and in-person support and education, to manage chronic hepatitis B.
GPs and NPs can email HepBHubWA@health.wa.gov.au with any questions about hepatitis B monitoring and treatment, and no formal referral is necessary. GPs and NPs can expect an email response within 2 business days. Learn more about the Hep B Hub WA.
For more information on World Hepatitis Day, visit World Hepatitis Day (external site).