Reaching the undiagnosed: Advances in hepatitis C testing
This webinar is presented in partnership with the Canadian Network on Hepatitis C (CanHepC).
 |
 |
Despite huge developments in hepatitis C treatment, there continues to be a need for increased testing and linkage to care, with 9,500 new infections and more than 200,000 people living with chronic hepatitis C in Canada in 2019.
Testing is a critical step in the hepatitis C cascade of care. Through testing, people with hepatitis C can be identified, diagnosed and linked to hepatitis C care and treatment services. Testing can also help connect people at risk of hepatitis C to education and prevention services.
Innovations in testing create more opportunities for diagnosis and linkage to care, which is especially important for communities disproportionately affected by hepatitis C that do not have equitable access to healthcare, such as people who use drugs or people living in remote settings. To eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030, we must embrace novel approaches to testing.
This webinar will provide an overview of the Canadian landscape of hepatitis C testing, available testing technologies, approaches with different populations, and opportunities and gaps in our testing strategies. With frontline service providers, we will discuss testing strategies to help reach the undiagnosed.
Moderator: Rivka Kushner, CATIE
Speakers:
- Jordan Feld, MD, Hepatologist, University Health Network
- Kristin Lichty, Hepatitis C Treatment Registered Nurse, North Lambton Community Health Centre
- Olivia Dawson, Program Manager, International Network on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users (INHSU)
- Kate Dunn, Community Engagement, Alberta ECHO
- Kellie Guarasci, Clinical Nurse Lead, Cool Aid Community Health Centre
- Stephen MacInnis, Peer Outreach Worker, Cool Aid Community Health Centre