There have been huge advances in the treatment and cure of Hepatitis C in the past decade.
One of the unsung heroes leading the charge is Dr Meryem Jefferies, Research Officer and Project Coordinator for Drug Health in Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD).
“Hepatitis C elimination is an important public health goal, especially helping the vulnerable people,” Meryem said.
Hepatitis C is spread through blood-to-blood contact, which can lead to serious liver disease if left untreated.
Meryem and her team were recently recognised for their tireless efforts in working toward curing the community of the disease.
The team’s energy and care is palpable, as they pile into their office for a photo.
“In addition to the teamwork, the success of the program comes from Dr. Robert Graham (Service Director), Dr Thao Lam (Senior Staff Specialist in Gastroenterology, Drug Health and Hepatology, Principal Investigator of Hepatitis C Elimination Projects), and Dr Marguerite Tracy (Drug Health Consultant Staff Specialist and Senior Lecturer) supporting me by giving the autonomy to manage multiple projects at various locations,” Meryem said.
Meryem combines her background in vaccine development and infectious diseases with her experience in nursing to produce nationally noteworthy results which directly improve the health of our local community.
“We are doing our best effort to increase testing and treatment uptake, we are going well and that’s why we’ve been recognized,” Meryem said.
Dr Meryem acknowledges the impact technological advances have had on patient experience.
“WSLHD is one of the biggest districts,” Meryem said.
New technology enables concerned patients to have their blood tested in one hour, a dramatic reduction from the two-week wait time the test previously took.
Treatment is now an eight to 12 week course of medicine called direct acting antivirals.
Pharmaceutical advancements have led to new medications being developed over the past decade, a course of tablets with a cure rate of 95%.
The satisfaction of telling a patient they’re cured from a disease is ‘the best part of the work’.
“When we get the results [the disease is cured] we celebrate as a team, we celebrate the patient [successful outcome],” Meryem said.
Needle sharing is one of the ways the disease can spread, and stigma around drug use can prevent people seeking testing or treatment for the disease.
“When clients [are] successfully treated, they tell people they are very happy and tell others they don’t need to worry,” Meryem said.
Meryem says positive patient experiences are a crucial driver in encouraging others to get tested.
“Some of the [cured patients] are acting like a peer worker, they’ve got experience, and they are sharing their experience with others so consumer satisfaction is one of our main goals and that is motivating us as well,” Meryem said.
While there is a national ambition to cure hepatitis C by 2030, WSLHD is at the front of that change.
“The NSW state wants to eliminate the disease by 2028, we are trying to our best to contribute to that target,” Meryem said.