New National Hepatitis Strategies to Drive Down Infections Rates
Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mark Butler, has launched Australia’s first ever national strategy for Hepatitis B and an updated national strategy for Hepatitis C to coincide with World Hepatitis Day and Hepatitis Awareness Week.
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19 May 2010
Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mark Butler, today launched Australia’s first ever national strategy for Hepatitis B and an updated national strategy for Hepatitis C to coincide with World Hepatitis Day and Hepatitis Awareness Week.
The strategies will provide a framework to reinvigorate the nation’s efforts to prevent new cases of Hepatitis B and C over the next four years. They also provide an action plan to better support and care for people already living with these conditions.
“The new national strategies for Hepatitis B and C provide the framework for a unified response that for the first time combines the efforts of the Australian Government, the states and territories, community-based services, and people living with Hepatitis,” Mr Butler said.
The national Hepatitis B strategy is the first strategy in Australia’s history to recognise and respond directly to the unique challenges of the B strain.
These strategies will form an integral part of Australia’s response to sexually transmitted infections and blood borne viruses, and are part of a suite of five national strategies that target sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and Blood Borne Viruses (BBV).
“Importantly, the strategies will also work to reduce the stigma and discrimination that people living with Hepatitis can face in their lives, and recognise that people living with Hepatitis are often the best placed to help reduce its transmission.”
The Australian Government has committed $17 million over four years to continue the Hepatitis C Education and Prevention Initiative, and spent $79.1 million in 2008-2009 on the Highly Specialised Drugs (HSD) program medications for Hepatitis B and C.
“The Rudd Government remains committed to protecting the health of all Australians,” Mr Butler said.
Media contact: Samantha Regione, 0418 112 688
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