Back to: Hepatitis C, an introduction
Reducing the risk and Prevention of HCV transmission or exposure: Hepatitis C has no vaccine, unlike hepatitis A & B. The simple message here is avoid behaviors that suggest a risk of exposure. Easier said than done, especially in view of community behaviors when it comes to at risk behaviors.
Health Network Collective community approaches with our coordinated collaborative “how can we help” concept can be an absolute asset when it comes to reducing risk in our communities. Working with other agencies organizations and community entities in harm reduction and risk mitigation is so important in getting consolidated consist messaging across.
In our PWID community and populations strengthening, educating and ensuring equitable accessibility to needle exchange programs and resources on safer injecting practices needs to be a priority.
In our men who have sex with men community, sex workers and similar, reinforcing safer sex practices and ensuring there is equitable access to resources and prophylactic’s (protection) with education and support.
Destigmatizing HCV and PWID, we need to be all working to normalize hepatitis as a community prevalent condition, and that is on a global scale.
And we need to actively engage in promoting population wide screening and testing to treat.
On a personal level for working with wai ora, we need to ensure we wash hands regularly and thoroughly, use gloves when there is a risk of blood contamination, take care with sharps such as needles and be very aware of the management of testing by-products.
If we can show the governments and health systems of the world that we can work collaboratively as a community, then maybe they will follow.
