Wales: 1.37m battle to combat hepatitis

March 4, 2010

hepatitis-91466-25939816/

£1.37m battle to combat hepatitis

Mar 2 2010 by Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail

A PLAN to tackle hepatitis in Wales will be backed by £1.37m in funding, Health

Minister Hart announced today.

The long-awaited plan, developed by Public Health Wales, will identify those

people at risk of contracting blood-borne hepatitis and prevent the virus’

transmission.

The money will also improve care for people living with hepatitis B and C.

It is thought between 12,000 and 14,000 people in Wales are infected with

hepatitis C, but the majority are unaware of their infection.

Hepatitis viruses spread from person to person via contact with infected blood

and mainly affect the liver. They can cause serious diseases and even death, but

can be prevented and are treatable.

Mrs Hart said: “Hepatitis has major health implications for the individual and,

if undiagnosed, for others.

“The challenge is to reduce ongoing transmission and reduce the prevalence of

hepatitis which is compounded by issues of social exclusion and marginalisation

amongst some of the groups at highest risk of infection in Wales.”

Gore, chief executive of the Hepatitis C Trust, said: " I am delighted

the Welsh Assembly Government has released the necessary funding for the

delivery of the blood borne viral hepatitis action plan.

" It now needs to be implemented as a matter of urgency so patients will see the

long-awaited improvements in services that are so desperately needed.

" I hope the action plan will also ensure that the thousands of people across

Wales who are living with the virus unawares will be diagnosed and given the

support and care they need. "

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