THUNDER BAY - A number of local organizations came together to raise hepatitis awareness on Tuesday.
In preparation for World Hepatitis Day, held annually on July 28, organizations such as Elevate NWO took part in a health fair at Victoriaville Mall.
“Hepatitis C in particular is problematic in this region,” said Tonya Muchano, a community developer at Elevate NWO. “You can live with Hepatitis C for a very long time without presenting any symptoms at all. So we are encouraging people to get information on it, encourage people to get tested, and connected to care.”
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease that is spread through blood-to-blood contact, which can cause severe liver damage.
Muchano says the high-rate of drug use in the region is the most common contributing factor, but it’s not the only one.
“Things like getting a tattoo or piercing in an unsterile environment, having had an organ transplant prior to 1992, sharing personal hygiene equipment, those are all factors.”
Symptoms for hepatitis C generally don’t occur in the initial stages of the infection, but getting tested is only a twenty minute process.
“We are doing point-of-care testing today… it’s rapid, it doesn’t require treatment. Hepatitis C is curable, so we really want people to get connected.”
The rate of hepatitis C is is four times higher in Thunder Bay and the region, said Diana Gowanlock, manager of infectious disease programs at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
“Over the years there’s been huge improvements in testing and treatments,” she said. “We just want to keep people aware… that’s why we have a whole week dedicated to it.”
Elevate NWO is hosting a barbecue and ‘ask-me-anything’ question forum on Reddit throughout the week.
