A hepatitis C awareness campaign funded by the Greater Manchester Primary Care Trusts has won praise from the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Run in partnership with Rock Radio, the outreach entitled “What Did You Do Back in the Day?” encourages people to consider whether their past actions may have put them at risk of hepatitis C virus infection. It is credited with a 200 percent increase in the number of telephone and online inquiries from persons seeking HCV testing. From April to December 2009, local health workers performed 140 finger-stick blood tests for the virus. HPA figures show the North West region with the largest number of newly reported hepatitis C cases in the United Kingdom, 1,679. An estimated 185,000 UK residents have hepatitis C. Special events in February and May, as well as an outreach to general practitioners, are among next steps for the campaign. To access HPA’s “Hepatitis C in the UK: 2009 Report,” visit http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1259152221464. [Article source: http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk]

Source: CDCNPIN News

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