Govt response to Hepatitis C may leave sufferers exposed
AMA President, Dr Bill Glasson, said today the Government's response to the 2002 Reviews of the National HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Strategies and Strategic Research is disappointing and inadequate.
Dr Glasson said the response reflects the Government's failure to properly address the issue of blood borne viral infections in our community.
"The Government has failed to support the recommendations of the expert committee on the best ways to combat Hepatitis C," Dr Glasson said.
"Expert advice and an independent review of the National Hepatitis C Strategy called for a program to improve and expand current harm reduction strategies.
"The sad reality is that the health of many Australians is being harmed by injecting drug use, with the very real possibility of thousands of new Hepatitis C infections each year," Dr Glasson said.
The Hepatitis C problem in Australia is significant:
- Around 210,000 Australians are living with Hepatitis C.
- It is projected that this figure may rise to 836,000 by 2020.
- 16,500 new cases are diagnosed each year.
- Hepatitis C transmissions have increased by 45 per cent over the last four years.
- Hepatitis C is the most commonly reported notifiable infection in Australia.
Dr Glasson said the report acknowledges a need for a revamp of the national response but no additional resources have been identified, other than the $15.9 million announced in the last Federal Budget.
"This was not sufficient to tackle the problem then and six months down the track it is even more inadequate.
"Tackling Hepatitis C in our community requires a more targeted approach than simply taking the attitude that if we are tough on drugs and stop the supply, we will fix the problem.
"In the 1980s, Australia's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic was innovative and courageous. It looks like the opportunity for Australia to show leadership on Hepatitis C has been missed," Dr Glasson said.
In its Federal Budget Submission 2004-05 the AMA called for a full economic analysis of the cost of hepatitis C to the Australian community, and the cost of effective interventions, and for the Government to fully fund the recommendations.
CONTACT: John Flannery (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761
Judith Tokley (02) 6270 5471 / (0408) 824 306