This page is an archive. Its content may no longer be accurate and was last updated on the original publication date. It is intended for reference and as a historical record only. For hep C questions, call Help4Hep BC at 1-888-411-7578.
People lined up this morning at the La Ronge Health Centre to participate in a special liver screening. The event was led by hepatitis C treatment support nurse Lesley Gallagher, who said the program is currently being rolled out in northern Saskatchewan.
Aside from detecting hepatitis C, she said the two-day clinic acts as a point of care to get quick results in regards to other infectious diseases as well, because blood testing is also offered. Gallagher brought a Fibroscan machine to La Ronge, one of only two in the province, in order to do more thorough examinations.
Gallagher said it’s particularly important to screen for hepatitis C, because the disease is very difficult to detect by simply observing signs and symptoms. It’s only after a longer period of time with virus when it begins to damage the liver, she said, and if left undiagnosed it can lead to cancer, cardiovascular issues and affect the blood-sugar metabolism. The Fibroscan device measures the level of scar tissue in the liver, leading to earlier detection.
In Canada there are up to 175,000 people living with hepatitis C who are unaware of it, Gallagher noted. A cure is readily available for 97 per cent of those diagnosed, she said, and the treatment is non-invasive, requiring only one pill per day for three months with virtually no side effects.
“Almost 50 per cent of the people who are on a liver transplant list are there because of untreated or undiagnosed hepatitis C,” Gallagher said.
Read more….https://larongenow.com/article/514275/liver-screening-event-looking-undiagnosed-cases-hepatitis