Hepatitis Australia News May 2022

Hepatitis Australia congratulates the newly elected Australian Government and all new and returning Members and Senators. We are excited to continue to work with, and across, the Parliament to eliminate hepatitis B and hepatitis C in Australia by 2030.

As showcased at the recent Parliamentary Event: We Can Eliminate Hepatitis B, there is strong support for hepatitis elimination. At the time, former Shadow Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing Ms Ged Kearney MP representing the former Shadow Minister for Health stated:

“We can eliminate hepatitis B…One thing that leapt out for me was the importance of community-led solutions… We have seen this work so beautifully with AIDS, we knew it worked with COVID-19, and it can work with so many diseases and of course specifically with hepatitis B. Thank you for highlighting that it is very important that we make sure that community-led are the centre of any strategy and policy for the future and an elected Labor Government would make sure that that was the case.”

Hepatitis Australia is committed to ensuring hepatitis elimination maintains unified support across the Parliament, and we look forward to the re-establishment of the Parliamentary Friends Group for Action on Blood Borne Viruses.

In the hepatitis sector, we are excited to have several staff travelling to the Viral Hepatitis Conference 2022 in Brisbane this weekend. We look forward to seeing many of you there. Keep an eye out for us in the program and come say hello!

If you haven’t yet registered – it’s not too late to join virtually! Register via the conference website. You can also follow us on Twitter @HepAus and join the conversation #VH2022.

Carrie Fowlie
CEO, Hepatitis Australia

Welcome to the May 2022 edition of Hepatitis Australia News.

In this edition of the newsletter you will find:

Hepatitis Australia is hiring – come work with us!

Hepatitis Australia is recruiting for three positions across its policy and program teams:

  • Policy Analyst: Full or part-time; Remote working available.
  • Program Manager – Hepatitis B: Full time; Remote working available.
  • Program Manager - National Hepatitis Infoline: Full time; Remote working available.

Hepatitis Australia is based in Canberra ACT, and offers remote working as well as generous salary sacrificing arrangements to increase take home pay.

To find out more about these roles and how to apply, visit our website:

Find out more

World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Viral Hepatitis: Now online and free

The World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Viral Hepatitis will now be completely online and free.

The program will feature Elders, doctors, nurses and peer navigators, people working with Indigenous health and community organisations, experts on Indigenous perspectives of gender, students, artists, dancers and more.

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C related amendments to the AIHW report on ‘Health System Spending Per Case of Disease and For Certain Risk Factors’

Amendments have been made to the AIHW report on Health System Spending Per Case of Disease for Certain Risk Factors.

Prevalence counts that are used in the calculations for spending per case of disease for both hepatitis B and hepatitis C have been revised. The prevalence counts now include both acute and chronic cases for these two conditions. Previously the prevalence counts only included acute cases. As a result, the previous report (prior to rectification) inflated the cost per case of acute hepatitis C and hepatitis B substantially.

Hepatitis Australia was notified of the potential error in the previous report by a member organisation, and was able to work with the Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, Doherty Institute to engage with the AIHW and seek rectification.

We thank Hepatitis QLD for identifying the issue, and the AIHW for the willingness to collaborate and improve methodologies for hepatitis cost per prevalence case calculations. Hepatitis Australia and the Doherty Institute have extended their assistance to the AIHW in developing any future estimates related to viral hepatitis.

NTAHC Hiring

The Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council (NTAHC) is seeking applications from a suitably qualified and experienced individual to drive our organisation’s programs and services in Central Australia.

The successful applicant for the Central Australian based Operational Manager position will be responsible for Human Resource management, Strategic Management Alice Springs Programs, Workforce development and education delivery, Service Administration and Development, and Stakeholder engagement and advocacy.

They will be responsible for co-ordinating, managing and facilitating the strategic growth of NTAHC programs delivered across Central Australia.

Join the World Hepatitis Day Network

Are you interested to hear what is happening on World Hepatitis Day around Australia? Would you like to know how you can support like-minded organisations on and around 28 July?

Please reach out to Hepatitis Australia at [email protected] to find out more about our upcoming meetings.

Please note, this network is suitable for community organisations, peak organisations and research bodies.

‘It’s Your Right’ campaign rolls out in Queensland

‘It’s Your Right’ is a new campaign promoting hepatitis C testing and treatment for people who inject drugs. The project is a collaboration of EC Australia, the Burnet Institute and AIVL, in partnership with several community organisations including CAHMA, Hepatitis ACT, Hepatitis SA, Harm Reduction Victoria, NTAHC, NUAA, Peer Based Harm Reduction WA and QuIHN.

The campaign is rolling out across Brisbane, Townsville, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast to let people know the new treatments are easier, have fewer side effects, can be done while using drugs, and that people can be treated again and again. It will raise awareness about treatments and encourage people to connect with their local peer organisation and the National Hepatitis Infoline: 1800 437 222.

View campaign

Burnet Institute supporting the development of hepatitis C vaccine

Victoria’s Burnet Institute will partner with Moderna to develop vaccines for emerging and neglected infectious diseases, including hepatitis C.

“While direct-acting antivirals have been a game-changer in working towards elimination of hepatitis C, we know that infection and re-infection rates are still problematic – particularly amongst populations without access to suitable prevention measures like needle and syringe programs. A vaccine would mean we could fight hepatitis C at both ends – reducing incidence and prevalence!” said Carrie Fowlie, CEO of Hepatitis Australia.

Find out more

MPVX Monkeypox

Several recent reports have highlighted an outbreak of Monkeypox, including a couple of cases in Australia from overseas travellers. If you or your consumers are seeking additional information, ACON has recently released a factsheet, including some frequently asked questions:

Find out more

Ongoing media reports of multi-country severe acute (non-viral) hepatitis in children

As previously advised, the media continues to report on multi-country severe acute (non-viral) hepatitis in children.

In collaboration with GESA, Hepatitis Australia developed a Members Brief (download here) to inform responses to members of the community who may call (e.g. Hepatitis Infoline) or otherwise present seeking additional information.

Accompanying the Members Brief is a GESA Media Statement available here: https://www.gesa.org.au/news-item/8958/media-statement-regarding-paediatric-severe-acute-hepatitis-of-unknown-origin


In the event of media approaches, we recommend you provide a link to the GESA Media Statement and refer media requests for comment or additional information to [email protected]

 

Hepatitis Australia

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