More than 600 people tested for hep C by Peers on Wheels
POW at Maroubra, March 22.
[Trigger warning: Includes description of violent assault.]
In late March, the Peers on Wheels (POW) project carried out its 600th Point of Care Test (POCT) for the hep C virus. The POW project is an ongoing 1-year pilot scheme by NUAA — in partnership with The Kirby Institute, NSW Health, and selected Local Health Districts — to bring hep C testing and treatment to people who inject drugs, wherever they are in NSW.
The World Health Organisation has a goal to eliminate hepatitis C infection as a major global public health threat by 2030. Australia could be one of the first countries in the world to do so.
NUAA, the organisation that publishes Users News, is playing a big role in the work to eliminate hep C in NSW. Because it’s a blood-borne virus, people who inject drugs are at risk of getting hep C. Some of our efforts involve stopping infection. Our NSP and mail-order NSP service, by supplying injecting equipment with no cost, no risk and no stigma, play a big role in this. As does information, education and training on safer injection practices.
But key to eliminating hep C is wide-reaching testing and providing treatment of people who test positive. NUAA has an important role to play in this. Workers with lived or living experience of injecting drugs can understand and be understood by people who inject drugs. They are also more likely to be trusted than other health and community workers by people who have experienced stigma and exclusion in health care settings.
The POW project involves a van staffed by NUAA and equipped with a POCT machine, other equipment necessary for tests, information and NSP supplies. Since its first trip to Newcastle in August 2022, the van has been to a number of rural, regional and suburban areas, providing tests free of charge, results within an hour and assistance in accessing free treatment to those who test positive. The Hunter-New England, Mid-North Coast and South East Sydney Local Health Districts have been partners in the project.
The POW project is getting the message out to the communities it visits:
• Testing and treatment are free and easy;
• The old hep C treatments with horrible side effects have been replaced by pills with few side effects;
• You can get tested and treated as many times as you need — with no cost and no judgement!
The POW project passed the milestone of 600 tests while it was in the Sydney suburb of Maroubra from March 20-22, 2023, set up behind a Salvation Army hall. Users News spoke to some of the people getting tested.
Dwayne told us that he’d had the test on Monday and that the results had come back with the good news that he tested negative. “I got the test because I’m HIV positive,” he said. “The doctor told me that if I get hep C on top of HIV, that could make treating HIV quite difficult, because all HIV meds impair liver function and can damage the liver. Hep C does exactly the same thing.”
He said he found out about the hep C testing when he was visiting the Salvation Army centre. “They were here. It was painless and quite simple.”
Ryan also came across the POW van by chance. “I do a course here, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I did the hep C test today. I’ve done treatments 3 times, the pills for 3 months.”
He stressed that he had never had side effects from the pills. “None at all. It was easy. I did it in jail. I’d say to anyone who’s not sure: ‘Go ahead and get it. It’s totally fine.’ I’ve got a lot of mates who’ve done the treatment. And, same as me, they had no side effects at all. There might have been the odd one who got a headache or something, but other than that, nothing.”
Jenny has had hep C since 1989. “I’m going Friday week up the hospital for an appointment. Someone from NUAA will come with me. I have never got it treated because I’ve been too scared. I heard Interferon didn’t work for a lot of people,” she explained. She said that the reassurance and support offered made her decide to get it treated.
Darren wanted to get the test done because he was worried about having being exposed through blood contact after being bashed in jail. He explained: “I had copped a nice flogging in jail, just because I stand up for myself, unfortunately. There’s always like someone better than you. I had worries because of the blood. I got a broken rib and they almost snapped my jaw off my skull, it had to be pinned back in. And I got missing teeth and damaged my eye and my head. So I came here to find out.
“I was lucky enough to find out that I had a negative result.”
Kelly said: “I’ve already got the results. I haven’t got it. I’ve had it before. I first got diagnosed in 1991. I’ve had it treated several times. I got rid of the virus but I’ve got cirrhosis of the liver.”
They said that the treatments used since 2016 gave them no side effects and that this as a change from the past: “The first time I had treatment I had bad side effects. That was the Interferon. I’ve had different treatments in the past and they could knock you around a bit. This new one is so much better”
Gareth heard about the testing from a mate on the street. “I came and got the test. I’ve got to wait a little bit longer for the results. The test was easy,” he said.
He has had hep C before and been cured with the DAAs. “No side effects. It was good. I’d say to anyone out there wondering if they’ve got hep C: ‘Don’t worry. Get tested. It’s curable now, never used to be.’”