Yellow July: SP reinforces actions on prevention, diagnosis and awareness of Hepatitis

Even the bill has not been voted at the Federal Senate and enacted by the President of Republic yet the State of São Paulo will intensify the actions on prevention, testing and awareness of hepatitis B and C. In the State, 327 municipalities got engaged to the actions proposed by the State of São Paulo Programme on Viral Hepatitis (PEHV-SP), that will prioritize population 40 aged or more.

According to the PEHV-SP, “the greatest challenge, especially to this population, is diagnosing the illness. Since hepatitis C is a long-term effect disease and usually has no symptoms while in progress, those patients might had been infected in the past and ignored the fact”. The management concerns that the infection can progress to cirrhosis or liver cancer. “Thereby, it is recommended that population undergo hepatitis C test at least once in life, aiming to get diagnosis and start treatment the earliest.”

The Ministry of Health estimates that 0,7% of population aged 15-69, in Brazil, had contact with the hepatitis C virus. That means around one million people. It is estimated that about 700.000 people carry the disease and are in need of treatment and clinical follow up.

Thus, from July 16 to 31, 2018, 327 municipalities in the State will intensify the access to testing, also aiming to bring more awareness on the subject to population. On July 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be an event, at Casa das Rosas, entering upon the campaign at the State of São Paulo, offering assistance, quick tests of Hepatitis C, prevention and information. The event is joint organized by PEHV-SP and the State Programme on STI/AIDS (PE-IST/AIDS-SP) and sponsored by the State Secretariat for Culture.

On July 24, the Centro de Convenções Rebouças (Rebouças Convention Center) will host the event alluding to the “World Hepatitis Day”, focused on the fight against hepatitis B and C. The event will broad together more than 200 health professionals for open debate on assistance, prevention and epidemic surveillance of hepatitis.

Finally on July 31, at Palácio dos Bandeirantes (Palace of Bandeirantes), headquarters of The State Government, there will be offered hepatitis C rapid tests and activities on awareness, prevention and health advice for the place’s staffs. Joint organized by PEHV-SP, the event will have the support of the Medical and the Human Resources departments of the Palace.