Hepatitis Australia

Hepatitis Australia Strategic Plan 2007-2009

From the Chief Executive Officer

Urgent action is needed to arrest the rising health, social and economic impact of viral hepatitis in Australia.

Over a quarter of a million people in Australia have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus and thousands more continue to be infected each year. The number of people dying as a direct result of their chronic hepatitis C infection is rising annually. The hepatitis C epidemic is not under control.

The work on assessing and addressing the needs of people with chronic hepatitis B has barely begun. The current lack of a national strategy for hepatitis B is hampering efforts to address this significant epidemic in a coordinated, concerted and comprehensive fashion.

Hepatitis Australia (previously known as the Australian Hepatitis Council) was incorporated in 1997 as the peak national community organisation to progress national action on issues of importance to people affected by hepatitis C. Our members are the eight state and territory hepatitis councils. Our history, funding and community links relate predominantly to viral hepatitis C. Increasingly we are extending our work to incorporate chronic hepatitis B.

This strategic plan has been developed with input from people affected by hepatitis C, our community partners and stakeholders. The plan defines our future directions to stem the growth and impact of viral hepatitis in Australia.

We will give particular attention in all areas of our work to addressing the needs of specific groups of people impacted disproportionately by viral hepatitis and to those most at risk of contracting hepatitis. These groups include: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people in custodial settings, people who inject drugs, and young people.

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