1 Oct 2006: What´s happening on such a day round the world? - Poland

[Guest guest]

Few words about Poland...

(Poland is an European Union country, half way between Germany and

Russia).

There is no buzz about WHAD (World Hepatitis Awareness Day) in Poland.

A bunch of hepatitis associations existing in Poland try to make

people aware of the hepatitis problem, but having no official support,

without much success. In fact, without those few NGOs, the health care

authorities would probably provide no information.

There are some banners in the web sites of NGOs. Today the PP¯Rz

(Polish acronym for " Against the Yellow Flood " - in Polish language

literal translation of hepatitis is something like " yellowness " )

Foundation has made available 3 telephone numbers, where everybody may

call and ask any hepatitis-related question. Interested (and able to

read Polish) are welcome to http://www.hcv-fundacja.pl/

The foundation runs also a mailing list hcv-funda...

and a chat (twice a week)

Few words about the situation in Poland:

About 700 thousand people (out of 38 million of Poles) are hepatitis C

positive - most of them with genotype 1B. Hepatitis B and other liver

diseases are much more seldom.

The greet majority of infections are caused by medical procedures,

that were done without proper disinfection (60 to 90 percent,

depending on the research). According to the official data, only 10%

of infected people are aware, that they have got hepatitis (that makes

about 70 thousand diagnosed hepatitis C patients). Last year ONLY 270

(two-hundred-seventy) people were treated within their insurance

scheme.

In Poland medical insurance is obligatory (and partially paid by the

employer) for everybody who is employed or lives in the same household

with the employed person. You can safely bet, that 95% of those 70

thousand people are insured. Medical authorities neglect the thread of

hepatitis and try to discourage people to apply for treatment. It is

impossible to get treated with fibrosis stage 1 and very difficult

with stage 2. Fibrosis stage 3 patients have to wait, depending on

region, 1-3 years. Of course, only if they insist. Otherwise they

usually hear, that one can live long years with hepatitis, and one

should not worry.

It is possible to have private treatment, but then you have to pay

full costs i.e. equivalent of US$ 15,000+. A high school teacher with

10 years experience, working full time earns about US$ 500 per month

od US$ 6,000 per year. Only few people can afford those costs, so

Best wishes of quick recovery to all and everybody,

korycinska

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