Viral hepatitis: A cry for help
17th September 2014
By Amanda Davey
Immediate action is needed to prevent new infections of hepatitis B and C before the country is swamped by a tidal-wave of life-threatening liver disease, says Hepatitis Australia.
Speaking at the Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference in Alice Springs, CEO Helen Tyrrell said: “It is to the nation’s shame that hepatitis-related liver disease now claims 1,000 lives a year.”
At its peak, HIV/AIDS claimed 738 lives in Australia in a year, she said.
“A swift and effective national response at that time led to a marked turnaround in