Drive to announce new treatment standards for Hepatitis-C

EMN
Dimapur, March 17
To provide education about new treatment drugs for treating Viral Hepatitis-C to people who use drugs and nongovernmental organizations, two local organizations conducted what they called the ‘treatment literacy program’ in Mokokchung town and Wokha town on March 14 and the 15th, in that order.
The two organizations, namely the Nagaland Users’ Network (NUN) and the HepCoN, organized the programs. The program in Mokokchung town was jointly organized in collaboration with Mokokchung Users’ Network; the program in Wokha town was organized at the NUN Project office.
The resource person for the program was Ketho Angami, coordinator of the NUN. During the programs, the basics of Hepatitis-C, Its route of transmission, as well as basics of testing, and diagnostics formed the focus of the talks.
Angami mentioned about newly-launched drugs for treating Hepatitis C (HCV) which he said were ‘Sofosbuvir with Ledipasvir or Daclatasvir.’ They show a cure rate of 98% as per some clinical trials, according to a press release the organizers issued on Thursday updating about the programs.
Angami also mentioned that the new standards of treatment, in comparison to the old standards of treatment with Pegylated Interferon, were more effective and had ‘higher cure rates, shorter treatment duration, lesser side effects and considerably cheaper in price.’
‘During the course of both the meetings, the participants shared their concerns in making the services and treatment facility available in their respective districts,’ the press release stated. The resource person informed that the government of Nagaland was exploring various means to implement programs on HCV in the state based on the recommendations submitted by HepCoN to the chief secretary of Nagaland on March 4, 2016.
“In the meantime, the meeting agreed also discussed other means to make HCV services in the districts with support from the existing resources,” the organizers stated. Members from the Drug Users’ Networks, TI NGO partners and was supported by NUN and HepCoN attended the event, it was informed.
Citizens’ Factfile: Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a disease caused by a virus that infects the liver. In time, it can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure.
Many people don’t know that they have hepatitis C until they already have some liver damage. This can take many years. Some people who get hepatitis C have it for a short time and then get better. This is called acute hepatitis C. But most people who are infected with the virus go on to develop long-term, or chronic, hepatitis C.
Although hepatitis C can be very serious, most people can manage the disease and lead active, full lives. Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus. It is spread by contact with an infected person’s blood. (Source: webmd.com)
You can get hepatitis C if:
• You share needles and other equipment used to inject illegal drugs. This is the most common way to get hepatitis C in the United States.
• You had a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992. As of 1992 in the United States, all donated blood and organs are screened for hepatitis C.
• You get a shot with a needle that has infected blood on it. This happens in some developing countries where they use needles more than once when giving shots.
• You get a tattoo or a piercing with a needle that has infected blood on it. This can happen if equipment isn’t cleaned properly after it is used.
• In rare cases, a mother with hepatitis C spreads the virus to her baby at birth, or a health care worker is accidentally exposed to blood that is infected with hepatitis C.
• The risk of getting hepatitis C through sexual contact is very small.1 The risk is higher if you have many sex partners.
• You cannot get hepatitis C from casual contact such as hugging, kissing, sneezing, coughing, or sharing food or drink.