Untreated viral hepatitis has become Australia’s most prominent cause of cancer death, responsible for almost 1,000 deaths annually. And the federal government has issued an aspirational goal. Their targets include eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by the end of this decade. Advocates from Hepatitis Australia are calling for increased efforts to reach this target. Their work is especially concentrated on serving migrant communities, who are heavily impacted by this silent killer.
Hepatitis B and C has reached almost 300,000 Australian people. Alarmingly, nearly half of these people are still undiagnosed or don’t have access to the care and treatment they need. Understanding who is most at risk Lucy Clynes, the CEO of Hepatitis Australia, stresses how critical having this data is for understanding who is most at risk.
“We know that half that population are either undiagnosed, that means they don’t know they are living with hepatitis or they are not connected to the care or the treatment that they need. Hepatitis is Australia’s leading cause of cancer death – we have to get people connected to care and support.” – Lucy Clynes
Additionally, more than half (56 percent) of those living with viral hepatitis speak a language other than English at home. This inconvenient truth only underscores the need for culturally competent outreach and education initiatives. As Clynes explains, migrant communities are at a huge disadvantage, with 70 percent of those living with Hepatitis B having been born abroad. Southeast Asians have disproportionately high rates of Hepatitis B, where there is also a high rate of mother-to-child transmission.
The nature of viral hepatitis is in itself quite insidious. Although some people do experience symptoms, many individuals are asymptomatic for years, even decades, before symptoms develop after infection. That sometimes leads to irreversible liver damage that they just don’t know about. In the story, Professor Gregory Dore from the Kirby Institute underlines the need for regular testing.
“Because it doesn’t cause symptoms in the initial years, and sometimes even in the initial decades of infection, that’s why it can be termed the silent killer because people can have the infection and it can be causing damage to the liver, but they’re completely unaware of that.” – Professor Gregory Dore
As someone who lives with Hepatitis B, Mei Mak has felt the stigma surrounding her diagnosis. Today, she goes back every six months for check-ups to keep a close eye on her condition. Her journey is a testament that more awareness is needed about liver health.
“It is important for people living with hepatitis liver disease, to be brave and be strong and to be curious, to find out more about their liver health and to seek help, when there are no symptoms we’re fine.” – Mei Mak
To learn how dramatically her viral load had spiked, Mak discussed with a doctor the moment she received the news. Her unanticipated hospitalization as a result of this shocking report. As this near-fatal incident illustrates, consistent vigilance and advanced preventive health measures can prove essential.
