Interview The government has had a long-standing commitment to funding projects to reduce hep C and HIV. Are there plans for more funding for hepatitis B prevention, education and support? SA Health administers approximately $5 million in annual grant funding to a range of service providers, including Hepatitis SA, for blood-borne virus prevention, education and support. This includes projects to reduce hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV in the community. The department has recently reviewed the Funding and Service Plan for this program area and hepatitis B has been identified as a new priority. In order to do this some resources will be reorientated to fund hepatitis B services in the community. This will be done without impacting on the other essential blood-borne virus prevention, education and support services. How do you feel about progress with SA’s HBV Action Plan? I look forward to the release of South Australia’s first-ever Hepatitis B Action Plan as chronic hepatitis B infection is a significant public health challenge for the state. We have been very successful in protecting schoolage children from hepatitis B infection through the National Immunisation Program; however, there are many South Australians currently living with hepatitis B, or at risk of being infected with hepatitis B, who were never vaccinated through this program. The action plan will provide a framework for service planning priorities, including community
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support, for people affected by hepatitis B. The SA Health Sexually Transmissible Infection and Blood Borne Virus Advisory Committee, chaired by the Chief Public Health Officer, will monitor progress on the Hepatitis B Action Plan and will provide a mid-term report on the progress of its implementation. So what do you see as most important for the State’s future regarding BBV policy? The South Australian Government is committed to protecting and improving the health of all South Australians. It is important that BBV policy continues to facilitate access to the means of blood-borne virus prevention, early testing, diagnosis and support, and to assist people living with a bloodborne virus to receive the best available treatment and care. It is also important that BBV policy continues to increase community awareness of bloodborne viruses. Do you have a view on mandatory offender testing for blood-borne viruses, given your government’s proposed legislation for SA? Last October the Premier announced the government’s intention to introduce legislation, as part of a community safety initiative involving police, which compels offenders whose blood or saliva comes into contact with a police officer to undergo a mandatory blood test for blood borne viruses. The government will consider a range of expert advice as the legislation develops.
How can we best engage migrants from countries with high BBV prevalence, and help them get tested and treated for these viruses? There is probably not just one best way, or a one-size-fits-all approach, to engage with people from high-prevalence countries. The government is committed to working in partnership with migrant communities, clinicians and community service providers with expertise in this area to ensure that approaches are culturally appropriate and sensitive to the needs of people living with an often stigmatised illness. In this way, the approach is necessarily as diverse as the communities we want to work with. Finally, with your interest in boxing, how do you feel about the current rules for blood spills in sport? I am told by SA Health that although the risk of being infected by one of the blood-borne viruses through participation in sport is very low, there is still some risk when blood is present. All sports, at both professional and amateur levels, should implement blood rules for the safety of everyone. This means that a player who is bleeding or has blood on their clothing must immediately leave the playing field or court and seek medical attention. Importantly, all blood and body fluids must be treated as potentially infectious whether on or off the playing field. The blood rules remind us to be blood-aware.
• HEPATITIS SA COMMUNITY NEWS • APRIL 2014
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