JAMESTOWN – Evergreen Health is hosting a Hepatitis C (HCV) Listening Session with VOCAL-NY Thursday afternoon at the James Prendergast Library.
HCV impacts thousands of people in Western New York, but health officials say area residents still don’t know all the facts about it.
According to VOCAL-NY, half of the 200,000+ New Yorkers living with HCV do not yet know their status and new infections are skyrocketing statewide. New York City is no longer the epicenter of the epidemic in New York State, with 51.2% of new cases were diagnosed outside of NYC.
Not only the location but the population affected has changed; the opioid epidemic has led to steep increases in HCV infection among 20- to 39-year-olds.
To address this epidemic, 94 New York-based public health experts, service providers, and government representatives came together at the first in the nation Hepatitis C Elimination Summit in New York State on February 7. Following the summit, 130 organizations signed on their support for the Consensus Statement on Hepatitis C Elimination in New York State.
The goal is to bring people living with HCV, public health officials, local representatives, community advocates, and other members of the public together – as well as hold informed discussions on what is needed to eliminate hepatitis C in our state and our regional communities.
Thursdays listening session in Jamestown is happening at the Prendergast library, from to 1 to 3 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
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