Hep C isn’t Waiting, Neither are We
Hep C isn’t Waiting, Neither are We
World Hepatitis Day, an initiative of the World Hep Alliance, takes place annually on July 28th to raise awareness of the global burden of the hepatitis virus and to inspire action.
It is estimated that 354 million people worldwide currently live with hepatitis B or C, variants that most often cause deadly liver disease. This year’s theme is, ‘We’re not waiting’. It is a call to act now toward eliminating viral hepatitis and to urgently provide testing and treatment to those in need.
Hepatitis C is a deadly infection that disproportionately impacts people who inject drugs. Spread through coming into contact with infected blood, 3 in 4 new cases are from sharing drug paraphernalia with someone who already has it. An infection can often go unnoticed with minimal symptoms at first but, left untreated, it can lead to serious illness and death.
That’s why Hepatitis C screening and care is fully integrated into our clinic care model. When we’re able to catch an early infection, we protect our communities and help our patients stay healthier.
Learn More About Hepatitis C Screening
Last year alone we treated 433 people and screened over 1,000 patients with rapid point of care testing! We’re grateful for the dedication of our front-line care teams, who work in coordination to provide our patients holistic treatment for substance use disorder. We’re building on these efforts and will continue to protect our patient population from this potentially deadly virus.
Special thank you to our care teams who are hosting World Hepatitis Day events, spreading the word about the importance of Hep C screening and welcoming their communities to visit and get tested!
We’ll be adding photos from our teams’ “Hep Pep” events below, so check back here to catch some CATC spirit!
World Hepatitis Day at OATC Westfort Clinic, Thunder Bay, ON
World Hepatitis Day at OATC Hamilton, ON
World Hep Day at OATC Dryden, ON
World Hep Day at TRC Barrie, ON
World Hep Day at OATC Pic Mobert, ON
One last THANK YOU to our Hepatitis and care teams for championing the well being of our patients and encouraging them to get screened for Hep C! If you’d like to get screened, you can visit any one of our walk-in clinics across Canada.