Youths unite to prevent Hepatitis C in south west Sydney

As part of Youth week, space aliens and superheroes have been recruited to promote the prevention of hepatitis C among young people.
The South Western Sydney Local Health District launched a new interactive campaign called Blood Battles, which includes a phone app and comic.
The district’s Hepatology staff specialist Joe Lawler said almost 10 hepatitis C infections were reported in NSW every day.
“Research shows that many people are unaware of the risks, so local young people created a comic and a fast-paced mobile phone game to get the message out,” Dr Lawler said.
“Hepatitis C is spread by blood to blood contact, so it’s important for everyone to be blood aware.
“Unsterile tattooing, piercing, injecting and steroid use are all risk factors for transmitting blood borne viruses.”
He said new and effective hepatits C treatments became available in Australia last month.
“However, prevention is better than cure, so I applaud these young people for developing the Blood Battles project,” Dr Lawler said.
Blood Battles can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play, from 15 April. Comic books are available at youth health centres and other youth services, or by calling 8738 5945.
The project was made possible by Hepatitis C Education and Prevention funding granted to the district.
Meanwhile, Liverpool Hospital will mark the 10 year anniversary of Close the Gap day today with the launch of the District wide Close the Gap Report Card.
The report card is a health snapshot that identifies physical and lifestyle health risks within south western Sydney’s Aboriginal population, helping the district target programs to address these areas.
SWSLHD Aboriginal Health Director Nathan Jones said after 10 years, positive change is happening.
“Today the rate of Aboriginal children fully immunised at 12 months is almost on par with that of non-Aboriginal children,” Mr Jones said.