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The Wellsford Pharmacy and Unichem Warkworth will provide free Hepatitis C (Hep C) tests from July 17 to 31.
Hep C is an infection that affects the liver and is spread via blood-to-blood contact, for example, during a sports game. Infections can also occur when unsterilised needles are used for piercings, tattoos or injecting drugs.
If left untreated, it can be fatal and the symptoms are often very mild such as fatigue or brain fog.
More than 30,000 people are thought to be living with Hep C in New Zealand and over 200 people die as a result of it each year.
The good news is that it is easy to get tested and treated.
Auckland City Hospital hepatologist Professor Ed Gane says there is a fully-funded and effective oral treatment with few side-effects that cures most people after only eight weeks. “Getting a test is a great way to avoid long-term liver damage,” he says. “People report feeling less fatigued and healthier after treatment.
“We now have the means to eliminate Hepatitis C from Aotearoa but to do so, we need to find everyone who is living with Hepatitis C. A simple finger-prick test could save your life.”
