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| At an event in Holyrood last week, Jamie McGrigor MSP pledged to support Hepatitis C patients in the Highlands & Islands and throughout Scotland. He met patients from The Hepatitis C Trust and signed the charity’s 2011 election pledge in support of Scottish Hepatitis C patients. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. It is often called the ‘silent killer’ because it can be asymptomatic for many years. There are an estimated 50,000 people with hepatitis C in Scotland, around half of whom are currently undiagnosed. The Hepatitis C Trust’s Scottish Officer, Petra Wright, says: ‘Fantastic Cross-Party work has led to led to the implementation of an Action Plan designed to increase diagnose and treat more patients and to improve care and support. As a direct result, real improvements for Hepatitis C patients are being made – more people are being diagnosed and more patients are receiving potentially life-saving treatment and support. ‘Yet, despite this excellent progress half of the 50,000 people living with Hepatitis C in Scotland have not yet been diagnosed, and most of those diagnosed have not yet received treatment that can cure the virus in around half of patients. ‘It is imperative that progress in maintained by continued investment and national focus on Hepatitis C after May 2011 when the hepatitis C Action Plan for Scotland terminates.” Jamie McGrigor says: ‘The Scottish hepatitis C Action Plan has been cited across the world as example of best national practice in addressing this virus. If we continue this excellent work we could virtually eradicate hepatitis C in Scotland in the next generation’. |
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At an event in Holyrood last week, Jamie McGrigor MSP pledged to support Hepatitis C patients in the Highlands & Islands and throughout Scotland. He met patients from The Hepatitis C Trust and signed the charity’s 2011 election pledge in support of Scottish Hepatitis C patients.
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. It is often called the ‘silent killer’ because it can be asymptomatic for many years. There are an estimated 50,000 people with hepatitis C in Scotland, around half of whom are currently undiagnosed.
The Hepatitis C Trust’s Scottish Officer, Petra Wright, says: ‘Fantastic Cross-Party work has led to the implementation of an Action Plan designed to increase diagnosis and treat more patients and to improve care and support. As a direct result, real improvements for Hepatitis C patients are being made – more people are being diagnosed and more patients are receiving potentially life-saving treatment and support.
‘Yet, despite this excellent progress half of the 50,000 people living with Hepatitis C in Scotland have not yet been diagnosed, and most of those diagnosed have not yet received treatment that can cure the virus in around half of patients.
‘It is imperative that progress in maintained by continued investment and national focus on Hepatitis C after May 2011 when the hepatitis C Action Plan for Scotland terminates.”
Jamie McGrigor says: ‘The Scottish hepatitis C Action Plan has been cited across the world as example of best national practice in addressing this virus. If we continue this excellent work we could virtually eradicate hepatitis C in Scotland in the next generation’
Source: forargyll.com
