Upstate Family Health Center has launched a new initiative to reduce the number of hepatitis C infections in the community. The program is funded by a state grant and is part of the New York Hepatitis C Elimination Plan: “Get Tested, Get Treated, Get Cured.”
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is spread through contact with blood from an infected person. Today, most people become infected with the hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs. Other at-risk categories are Baby Boomers (born between 1945 and 1965), homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, and people currently or formerly involved in the justice system.
For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness, but for more than half of people who become infected with the hepatitis C virus, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis C can result in serious, even life-threatening health problems like cirrhosis and liver cancer.
As part of the local program, Upstate Family Health has a designated “Hep C Team,” headed by Chief Quality Officer, Val Yager. “Our team’s focus is to educate our community,” says Yager. “Know your status, get tested, get treated, and get cured.”
For more information, visit www.upstatefamilyhealthcenter.org or call (315) 624-9470.
Upstate Family Health Center, Inc., is a 501(c)(3), not for profit, federally qualified health center, offering family health care services to individuals of all ages at various locations including Utica and Rome throughout the Mohawk Valley. The experienced and dedicated staff provide the highest level of care, while ensuring that the patient’s needs come first.
Comentários