There's a hepatitis C cure, but Australians aren't accessing it
Earlier this year Australia committed to eliminating Hepatitis B and C by 2030. But while there are effective medical treatments available including a cure for Hepatitis C, advocates argue more must be done to make them accessible to everyone who needs them.
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00:00 There's been a cure for hepatitis C for almost 10 years.
00:05 But as World Hepatitis Day is marked, advocates say not enough people are getting it.
00:10 Half of people in Canberra who have been diagnosed have had treatment and have cured the virus.
00:15 We're trying to get the word out there to the other half.
00:18 Hepatitis is a swelling of the liver that can develop into cancer.
00:21 Sarah says some people with hepatitis C might be hesitant about the new treatment because
00:25 of what's come before.
00:26 The traditional cure for hepatitis C was something called interferon.
00:32 I do not have lived experience of it but from what I've heard it was a very taxing treatment
00:37 regime.
00:38 It just makes you feel dreadful.
00:40 Karen has now been cured of hepatitis C and works at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation
00:45 centre supporting others who still have the illness.
00:48 She says interferon side effects were so bad people often turned down treatment.
00:51 I had to weigh up, I've got kids to get to school, I've got to get to work myself, I
00:59 can't afford to take time off.
01:01 This clinic in Ocona offers free blood tests to diagnose hepatitis and the new cure which
01:06 is delivered in tablet form.
01:08 The people running it say some funding from state and territory governments for more treatment
01:11 centres and awareness campaigns could go a long way.
01:15 We could well be one of the first nations in the world to eliminate hepatitis C or hepatitis
01:20 B.
01:21 The FDA has committed to eradicating both illnesses by 2030.
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