Hepatitis C, in Corato the survey to check the state of health of the population © nc
“The objective of the screening launched at the analysis laboratory of the Umberto I hospital in Corato is to verify the prevalence of HCV infection in the population of Corato by comparing it with the national average and to allow rapid intervention and prompt action to eliminate the infection, whatever its impact “. This was explained by the director of the medical department of the Corato-Terlizzi hospital unit, Vincenzo Fortunato, during the presentation of the project “Let’s Eliminate Hepatitis C” in the analysis laboratory of the Umberto I hospital in Corato.
The initiative, at no cost to regional healthcare thanks to the non-conditioning sponsorship of Gilead and the voluntary service of the hospital staff involved, provides for the administration of 4 thousand free tests, which are in addition to the normal activity provided by the hospital. The anti-HCV antibody detection in chemiluminescence will be carried out on hospitalized patients, but also on external patients who voluntarily want to undergo the test. The analysis laboratory already has the kits supplied and two figures have also been identified, a counselor and a data manager, who will follow the project in the various stages of implementation. All Ab-HCV positive patients in the period of implementation of the project will receive a report in which the positivity to antibodies will be highlighted, information material on hepatitis C and the list of prescribing centers of the new latest generation direct antiviral drugs .
“People who have contracted the HCV infection in most cases do not develop obvious symptoms and therefore are not identified and treated”, added during the meeting with journalists Maria de Palma, director of the medical department of the Hospital. Corato-Terlizzi. «It is essential to be able to discover what is hidden and therefore increase the number of patients diagnosed with HCV infection in order to be able to direct them towards a correct diagnostic and therapeutic path with the new drugs. By acting promptly against chronic infection we can stem this worrying phenomenon “.
The coordinator of the project is the head of the Umberto I analysis laboratory in Corato Carmela Lops. «The worsening of the infection – he explains – can lead to liver failure, cirrhosis or liver tumors. Until 2015, the year in which new and effective antiviral drugs were introduced, in Italy a person died every 30 minutes from the consequences of this pathology. Today it is estimated that between 1 and 1.5% of the Italian population is affected by this disease. However, many cases remain undiagnosed. Our job is to bring them out and offer them an opportunity for healing. ” “The treatment of all HCV positive patients, regardless of the degree and stage of the disease”, concluded Fortunato, “produces important gains in terms of health and reduction of direct and indirect costs by the national health system”.
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