Get a hepatitis C test on World Hepatitis Day to put your worries behind you

New Zealanders at risk of hepatitis C should make sure to get a quick and easy finger-prick test on World Hepatitis Day this Thursday (28 July), says Dr Nick Chamberlain, National Director of Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand National Public Health Service.

“Most people with hepatitis C can be cured by a simple oral treatment that is free with just a prescription.

“Around 40,000-45,000 New Zealanders are living with chronic hepatitis C. While some people with hepatitis C experience unusual tiredness, joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal pain, many people don’t notice any symptoms until irreparable damage has occurred.

“If left untreated, up to a quarter of people with hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis, which can progress to life-threatening liver cancer or liver failure,” says Dr Nick Chamberlain.

“More than 200 New Zealanders continue to die from hepatitis C each year. Many of these deaths could have been prevented by earlier diagnosis and treatment because hepatitis C is now ‘easy test, easy cure’.

“I strongly urge anyone at risk of hepatitis C to get tested even if you don’t have any symptoms.

“There are lots of places you can get a hepatitis C finger-prick test including some pharmacies, Kaupapa Māori health providers and needle exchanges, plus there are mobile services visiting key locations. You can find out where to get a hepatitis C test by visiting the Ministry of Health website or by asking your GP.

“You’ll get your test results within minutes and they’re 100 percent confidential – no questions asked.

“If you do test positive, there’s an easy cure called Maviret that is taken orally for about 8-12 weeks. It’s free with a prescription and has a success rate of up to 98 percent.”

You are at risk of hepatitis C if you:

• have ever injected drugs or shared equipment
• have ever received a tattoo or body piercing using unsterile equipment
• had a blood product transfusion before 1992
• have ever lived in a high-risk country or received medical treatment there
• have ever been in prison
• were born to a mother with hepatitis C.