Over half of current injecting drug users have hepatitis C and yet many remain undiagnosed and, just as worryingly, almost none are accessing treatment that can eradicate the virus.
So many myths exist about hepatitis C, especially within the drug using community, and through this service we provide the facts in a safe, non-judgemental atmosphere, encouraging people to talk and learn from their peers about ways to look after themselves, whether they have hepatitis C or not.
The session focus on the Educator’s own personal story with hepatitis C and drug use, taken as a framework to get across key messages about prevention, testing, how to access hepatitis C services, treatment and how effective it now is, the right to treatment and how people can obtain help in exercising that right.
The Trust’s Peer to Peer Education service is available free of charge in England and Wales. For more information contact Gary Hemphill at gary.hemphill@hepctrust.org.uk or call 020 7089 6220.
