Four Indiana counties have launched needle exchange programs to curb a statewide Hepatitis C outbreak, but both Lake and Porter county health officials say the local numbers don't show a need for it so far.
Last year, the Indiana General Assembly passed a law that allowed counties to apply to the Indiana State Department of Health to operate an exchange. The law was in response to an HIV outbreak in Scott County, which led to 188 people testing positive for HIV. The outbreak was largely fueled by dirty needles used to inject the prescription opioid Opana.
But a ban on both state and federal funds for the exchanges means that counties must rely on funding from local governments or foundations.
Jennifer Harkel, a registered nurse and communicable disease supervisor at the Porter County Health Department, said the numbers have stayed pretty steady in recent years — with 43 cases of acute or chronic Hepatitis C in 2013 — but the county is monitoring the situation.
"It's something that we're keeping an eye on and we're cognizant of it," Harkel said. "If we feel like the numbers are going up and the need arises, we would consider it."
Hepatitis C is primarily spread through contaminated needles and IV drug use. Harkel said that symptoms may not reveal themselves for years.
"It could be years as people don't know that they have any symptoms until they start experiencing severe liver damage," Harkel said. "It's amazing how people may have used intravenous drugs once or twice and they could have been infected (back in the 1960s) and never knew."
The Porter County Health Department does conduct testing for Hepatitis C, HIV and STDs at both its Valparaiso and Portage offices. Tests are $10.
Harkel said they've also done testing at the Porter County Jail for inmates in the substance abuse program.
"As part of the intensive outpatient program, the testing is voluntary; they're given the option if they'd like to be tested for HIV and Hep C," Harkel said. "We go once a week and try to test those people. If they're positive, we go over the precautions. There's a lot of sharing of needles, from IV drug use and sometimes in jail they do tattoos on each other. If the needle is contaminated with someone else's blood, you're putting it into yourself."
Needle exchanges operate by letting drug users trade in used syringes for sterile hypodermic needles and associated paraphernalia to prevent the spread of Hepatitis C and HIV. Despite concerns of promoting drug abuse, studies from the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have indicated that needle exchange programs do not result in higher rates of drug abuse in communities.
In 2014, Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties each had fewer than five new acute Hepatitis C cases, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. When there are fewer than five cases, the ISDH does not provide exact numbers due to privacy concerns.
Marianne Kundich, the nursing supervisor at the Lake County Health Department, said there was a lot of talk about the needle exchanges last year but the state is trying to focus on areas with high incidence of acute Hepatitis C cases.
"Since then, we have not been approached and haven't shown interest," Kundich said.
State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said the large population locally of those suffering from Hep C should justify establishing a needle exchange program.
"It's still a point of curiosity to me that Lake County is in the top five in terms of Hep C cases, but there's been no discussion about the issue in Lake County," Brown said.
In 2013 — the most recent year where numbers were available — there were 253 cases of Hepatitis C in Lake County, according to the ISDH.
Brown is encouraged that the federal government may be loosening up some funding restrictions for needle exchanges, and he hopes the state follows suit.
"I don't know why the governor decided that he needed to stay away from it," Brown said. "I guess he doesn't want a negative perception of the state."
Last year, the Indiana General Assembly passed a law that allowed counties to apply to the Indiana State Department of Health to operate an exchange. The law was in response to an HIV outbreak in Scott County, which led to 188 people testing positive for HIV. The outbreak was largely fueled by dirty needles used to inject the prescription opioid Opana.
But a ban on both state and federal funds for the exchanges means that counties must rely on funding from local governments or foundations.
Jennifer Harkel, a registered nurse and communicable disease supervisor at the Porter County Health Department, said the numbers have stayed pretty steady in recent years — with 43 cases of acute or chronic Hepatitis C in 2013 — but the county is monitoring the situation.
"It's something that we're keeping an eye on and we're cognizant of it," Harkel said. "If we feel like the numbers are going up and the need arises, we would consider it."
Hepatitis C is primarily spread through contaminated needles and IV drug use. Harkel said that symptoms may not reveal themselves for years.
"It could be years as people don't know that they have any symptoms until they start experiencing severe liver damage," Harkel said. "It's amazing how people may have used intravenous drugs once or twice and they could have been infected (back in the 1960s) and never knew."
The Porter County Health Department does conduct testing for Hepatitis C, HIV and STDs at both its Valparaiso and Portage offices. Tests are $10.
Harkel said they've also done testing at the Porter County Jail for inmates in the substance abuse program.
"As part of the intensive outpatient program, the testing is voluntary; they're given the option if they'd like to be tested for HIV and Hep C," Harkel said. "We go once a week and try to test those people. If they're positive, we go over the precautions. There's a lot of sharing of needles, from IV drug use and sometimes in jail they do tattoos on each other. If the needle is contaminated with someone else's blood, you're putting it into yourself."
Needle exchanges operate by letting drug users trade in used syringes for sterile hypodermic needles and associated paraphernalia to prevent the spread of Hepatitis C and HIV. Despite concerns of promoting drug abuse, studies from the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have indicated that needle exchange programs do not result in higher rates of drug abuse in communities.
In 2014, Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties each had fewer than five new acute Hepatitis C cases, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. When there are fewer than five cases, the ISDH does not provide exact numbers due to privacy concerns.
Marianne Kundich, the nursing supervisor at the Lake County Health Department, said there was a lot of talk about the needle exchanges last year but the state is trying to focus on areas with high incidence of acute Hepatitis C cases.
"Since then, we have not been approached and haven't shown interest," Kundich said.
State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said the large population locally of those suffering from Hep C should justify establishing a needle exchange program.
"It's still a point of curiosity to me that Lake County is in the top five in terms of Hep C cases, but there's been no discussion about the issue in Lake County," Brown said.
In 2013 — the most recent year where numbers were available — there were 253 cases of Hepatitis C in Lake County, according to the ISDH.
Brown is encouraged that the federal government may be loosening up some funding restrictions for needle exchanges, and he hopes the state follows suit.
"I don't know why the governor decided that he needed to stay away from it," Brown said. "I guess he doesn't want a negative perception of the state."
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