Gregory Tindle, Western Mail walesonline.co.uk
Campaigners are calling for urgent action to tackle a potential explosion in cases of liver failure. Despite repeated promises over the past two years, the Welsh Assembly Government has yet to publish a strategy to deal with hepatitis C.
The nation has been criticised in a damning parliamentary report which reveals Wales is lagging behind the rest of the UK in tackling the problem. It is thought that 14,000 people in Wales have hepatitis C but thousands more people may be undiagnosed.
Charles Gore, chief executive of the Hepatitis C Trust said: “The Assembly Government cannot be permitted to continue postponing publication of the Welsh action plan any longer.
“Years have gone by with very little progress while the death toll just keeps growing – why are patients in Wales being ignored?” The Assembly Government has promised the action plan will be published “shortly” .But in a response to Health Wales in October, the action plan was due to be published “in weeks”.
The strategy, estimated to cost around £2m, is aimed at tackling hepatitis B and C by raising awareness of the infections, harm reduction and improving treatment and care.
Mr Gore said the plan was submitted to the Assembly Government in 2007 but, despite repeated promises from ministers, has still not even been put out for consultation.
Bob Laxton, co-chairman of the all-party Parliamentary hepatology group, said: “Our report shows there’s so much more that needs to be done to tackle hepatitis C in England and Wales.
“Scotland is leading the way and we must quickly follow otherwise we will continue to see more and more unnecessary deaths from hepatitis C.”
Dr Ruth Alcolado, a consultant physician at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant, said: “In 40 years’ time we will have an explosion of end-stage liver disease that will cost the taxpayer a fortune.
“Liver disease as a result of hepatitis C is slow and progressive, but in the future we could need two liver transplant centres in Wales and how much would they cost?
“We are in a relatively privileged position at the moment as Wales’ numbers of hepatitis C are not as high as in England or Scotland.
“If we can start treating people and educating those at risk, then we can probably make a difference but I’m getting very frustrated that this will ever take place.”
Hepatitis C mainly affects injecting drug users, although a number of people developed the disease as a result of receiving contaminated blood products mainly blood transfusions during surgery.
An Assembly Government spokesman said: “We are pleased that the all-party Parliamentary hepatology group endorses the holistic approach to tackling hepatitis B and hepatitis C that is contained in the blood-borne viral hepatitis action plan for Wales. Health Minister Edwina Hart is committed to meeting the challenge of blood-borne viral hepatitis and ensuring we address the public health issues posed by these viruses.
“A significant amount of work has been undertaken in the development of an action plan.
“A draft plan, prepared by the National Public Health Service (NPHS), was submitted to Assembly Government officials for consideration.
“The plan made a number of wide-ranging recommendations with significant operational and financial implications for the Assembly Government, the NHS and its partners.
“Officials have worked with the NPHS to refine the plan, to prioritise its recommendations and to consider where future investment would make the most immediate impact.
“The process for setting budget allocations for 2009-10 and beyond is currently underway and the costs and timetable for implementing the plan is being considered in that process.”
