The launch of the mobile clinic coincides with the launch of the national awareness campaign, Stick it to hep C. Photo / Supplied
The launch of the mobile clinic coincides with the launch of the national awareness campaign, Stick it to hep C. Photo / Supplied
Right in time for World Hepatitis Day on July 28 and the launch of a national awareness campaign, a mobile hepatitis C pop-up clinic was launched in Huntly last week.
The mobile clinic is a regional first and is set to significantly improve community access to hepatitis C (hep C) resources by bringing point-of-care testing and treatment to areas where it is needed most.
Hep C is a blood-borne virus that causes liver inflammation and can lead to liver cancer if untreated. Around 1000 people contract the virus and 200 people die from it every year in New Zealand.
Around 45,000 Kiwis are living with the virus, and half of them may be unaware that they have it because symptoms often do not show for years.
The mobile Hepatitis C pop-up clinic also has two additional clinic rooms so the Te Manawa Taki – Community Hepatitis C Service can partner with other service providers.
Te Manawa Taki community hep C nurse co-ordinator Nancy Carey says the ability to provide end-to-end care on the doorstep of hep C patients is an encouraging step towards eliminating the virus.
"Amazing curative antiviral treatments have been a game changer for those living with hep C, and our clinic on wheels means we can test and treat people where it is needed most. Treatment lasts for only 8 weeks, is completely free and has few, if any, side effects.
"Plus, we collaborate and work alongside other services who want to partner with us, as the van can accommodate up to three clinics."
The mental health and addiction, bowel screening, Hep Foundation, and community hep C teams. Photo / Supplied
Te Whatu Ora HealthShare (New Zealand's new national health authority that replaces DHBs) hep C project manager Jo de Lisle, says the mobile clinic will be a gamechanger for detecting locals living with hep C.
"Bringing hep C testing and treatment services straight to communities that are at high-risk will change so many lives for the better. We bring this free service to the people – they don't need to go anywhere," says Jo.
The Ministry of Health provided the funding for the set up of the mobile clinic and Te Whatu Ora Waikato arranged the van fit-out.
The launch of the van coincides with the launch of the national awareness campaign, Stick it to hep C. The campaign was released on World Hepatitis Day and gives a cheeky middle finger to the virus to raise awareness and encourage New Zealanders to get an easy, finger-prick test to detect the virus.
Risk factors for hep C include drug use with needles, amateur tattoos, time in prison, receiving medical treatment in a high-risk country or a blood transfusion before 1992.
