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In Oklahoma, the Cherokee Nation has waged war against hepatitis C.
With infection rates among Cherokee Indians nearly five times higher than other racial or ethnic groups in the U.S., the group has become the first community in the country and one of only a few in the world to set a goal of completely eliminating the virus from its population.
The virus, which is most commonly transmitted through the sharing of needles, can lead to liver damage, cancer and even death.
That’s why Cherokee Nation officials began working with the University of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State Health department and federal health officials to launch an initiative to tackle hep C by boosting screening efforts and using the latest pharmaceutical research.
Because the federal government is responsible for providing health care to all American Indians, more members of the Cherokee Nation and other native groups pass through tribal hospitals and outreach clinics.
Read more and listen to the podcast here: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/how-the-cherokee-nation-plans-to-reverse-the-silent-epidemic-of-hepatitis-c/