Hepatitis C prevention with ICAN

ICAN are a small Chrisitan NGO that work with drug users and help them with rehabilitation. They have a residential communtiy where clietns can have a detox, and spend time learning hwo to live without drugs. When we visited them they were without premises, and were only able to do the minimum amount of work. they are hoping to move into a bigger building soon so that they can admit people and help them come off drugs.

Shaban and I spoke to them about Hepatitis C. they had not heard much about it, having concentrated all their efforts on HIV. They had never worked with a client with HIV. We gave the group of staff our Health Promotion Presentation, and found out that a few of the staff had Hep C or had family members with it. so much for all the work with HIV! As I discussed with them, by concentrating on Helatah Education about HIV they are missing an opportunity. The disease has different routes of transmission. Unlike HIV Hepatitis C is rearely spread by sex. Instead it is almost soley spread by blood. But unlike HIV it lives for along time outside the body, and terefore can be spread by every bit of kit that is used when people inject drugs. its not just needles, it can be spread by filters, spoons, water. Also as so few people in Pakistan have HIV the Hepath Promotion message means notheing. But Hepatitis C is rife. By concentrating on Hepatitis C prevention perhaps people will change their behaviour, because everybody knoows somebody with it.