What do A-list celebrities Pamela Anderson, Keith Richards, Marianne Faithfull, Freddy Mercury, Magic Johnson and Natalie Cole have in common? They have all had hepatitis or HIV.
Celebrities are not the only people to get these treatable diseases. Over 1,300 people in Hackney have been diagnosed with hepatitis B or C and a similar number of people in Hackney have HIV. Thousands more have them but are still undiagnosed. NHS East London and the City are asking people to get tested; untreated, hepatitis can cause long term liver damage and liver cancer, while HIV progressively damages the immune system.
To support local people to diagnosis and treatment, NHS East London and the City, in conjunction with local pharmacies and national charity, The Hepatitis C Trust, has re-launched a hepatitis testing programme originally piloted in 2009 in Hackney. The local project is the first in London to incorporate HIV tests into this programme. The test used is quick and easy and available in nine pharmacies across Hackney.
People are tested from finger prick blood test. During and after testing the pharmacist provides advice and information on hepatitis and HIV, prevention measures and treatment. More support is provided when people receive their test results.
Rod Watson, from NHS East London and the City said: “Thousands of Hackney residents have hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV and don’t know it, and many more may be putting themselves at risk. We want people to come forward and get tested and find out about treatment options if they return a positive result; or to prevent themselves from getting it in future if they test negative.
“Hackney has always been at forefront of hepatitis and HIV detection and prevention and now our local pharmacists are helping to achieve this in the community.”
There are an estimated 250,000-466,000 people living with hepatitis C in the UK, and around 320,000 with hepatitis B, most of whom are undiagnosed. About 87,000 people are living with HIV in the UK, including 22,000 undiagnosed.
“Rates for all three viruses are higher in London, but this can be remedied and we are delighted that NHS East London is able to lead the way in this.” Watson said
Dilip Chauhan, pharmacist from Benjamin Chemist in Stoke Newington said: “Our hepatitis and HIV testing is confidential and as we are based in the community and open longer than many medical centres we are easy to access.”
Charles Gore, Chief Executive of The Hepatitis C Trust said: “Early diagnosis saves lives. The growing deficit between the number of people who have these viruses and the numbers diagnosed is a huge concern.
“We are passionate about raising public awareness and providing better access to testing; these are simple steps with proven results. Free, more readily available hepatitis and HIV testing could make all the difference and it’s fantastic to see this become a reality in East London. In the process, countless lives will be dramatically improved and fewer people will be left to suffer needlessly.”
The Hackney pharmacies involved are:
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Finstead Pharmacy, 209 Hoxton St, London, N1 5LG
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Haggerston Pharmacy, 207 Haggerston Rd, London, E8 4HU
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Kingsland Pharmacy, 422 Kingsland Rd, London, E8 4AA
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Murray’s Chemist, 86 Murray Grove, London N1 7QJ
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K Sonigra Chemist, 44 Well Street, London E9 7PX
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Benjamin Chemist, 190 Stoke Newington High Street, London N16 7JD
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Safedale Pharmacy, 59 Lower Clapton Road, London E5 0NS
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Safedale Pharmacy, 97 Upper Clapton Road, London E5 9BU
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Bee’s Pharmacy, 261 Wick Road, London E9 5DG
About hepatitis B and C
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1 in 12 people worldwide have hepatitis B or C.
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Globally, only tobacco causes more cancer than hepatitis B
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Between them, hepatitis B and C kill 1 million people around the world each year.
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An estimated 250,000-466,000 are people living with hepatitis C in England, but less than 100,000 have been diagnosed. Around 320,000 people are living with hepatitis B in the UK, most of whom have not been diagnosed.
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Hepatitis B, hepatitis C are viruses that live in the blood and primarily affect the liver. Hepatitis C is transmitted only through blood to blood contact, hepatitis B can also be transmitted through sexual contact. Untreated they can cause liver disease and cancer.
About HIV
- About 33 million people worldwide have HIV/AIDS
- An estimated 87,000 people in the UK are living with HIV/AIDS, of whom 22,000 are undiagnosed.
- Half of all diagnosed cases of HIV so far have been in London.
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About The Hepatitis C Trust: The Hepatitis C Trust is the UK national charity for Hepatitis C. It provides information, support and representation for all those affected by this disease. Started by patients, the majority of its Trustees and staff, paid and voluntary, are patients.
Website: www.hepctrust.org.uk
Helpline: 0845 223 4424
- The Hepatitis C Trust pharmacy testing programme is a national scheme funded by the Department of Health. It aims to increase awareness, testing and diagnoses through supporting primary care trusts to introduce testing in pharmacies and training pharmacists to provide information and testing to the community.
- NHS East London and the City is a cluster of Primary Care Trust that purchases healthcare on behalf of the local population and is responsible for developing GP, pharmacy, dentistry and optometry services.
