Health and Social Services Minister Jamie Ballem advised today that the Department of Health and Social Services and AIDS PEI have initiated a joint project to prevent Hepatitis C.
The project aims to increase awareness and understanding among various groups and sectors on PEI about how diseases such as Hepatitis C and AIDS can be prevented through harm reduction. The project, entitled Building Toward an Intersectoral Alliance on Harm Reduction, is funded through the Health Canada Hepatitis C Prevention Program.
Minister Ballem advised that diseases like Hep C are largely preventable through modifiable lifestyle choices. "Through the project, we hope to develop supports to encourage more Islanders to make lifestyle choices that will protect and improve their heath and the health of others."
Dr. Lamont Sweet, Chief Health Officer for PEI, indicated that over half of those infected with the Hepatitis C virus on PEI have a history of injection drug use. He continues to be concerned about the number of cases of Hepatitis C on PEI which result from sharing needles with an infected person. "Recent research shows that there may be up to 400 injection drug users on PEI and many admit to sharing needles when injecting drugs," said Dr. Sweet. "The sharing of needles is a major public health concern as other diseases like HIV, the virus which causes AIDS, can also be transmitted this way."
Dianne Birt, project coordinator for AIDS PEI advised that PEI is the only province without a formal needle exchange program. Such programs often provide injection drug users with clean needles, education on topics such as safer injecting and safer sexual practices, and referrals to addiction treatment programs. "These programs are a means of harm reduction often offered by many community-based AIDS organizations," she said.
Ms. Birt advised that harm reduction programs do not judge people's lifestyle choices, but rather try to educate those with high-risk behaviors, like injection drug users, on how they can reduce the chances of harming themselves.
The need for needle exchange programs and other harm reduction initiatives will be explored by the Project Advisory Committee during a fall workshop. "Following the workshop, the committee hopes to form a Provincial Harm Reduction Alliance to develop a harm reduction strategy for PEI," said Ms. Birt.
Advisory committee members include representatives from AIDS PEI, Department of Health and Social Services, persons with Hepatitis C, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Native Council of PEI, addiction counselors in private practice, and Provincial Correctional and Youth Custody Centres.
For more information on the project, please contact Dianne Birt, AIDS PEI, 566-2437.