With an aim to provide treatment education to people who use Drugs (PUDs) and NGOs on the new treatment drugs for treating Viral Hepatitis C, NUN and HepCoN conducted treatment literacy programme on March 14 and 15, at Mokokchung and Wokha town respectively.
The Mokokchung program was jointly organized with Mokokchung Users’ Network (MKGUN) and Wokha program was organized at the NUN Project office.
Resource person for the program was Coordinator NUN and Secretary HepCoN), Ketho Angami basics of Hepatitis C, Its route of transmission, testing and diagnostics were deliberated. Ketho mentioned about the newly launched Drugs for treating Hepatitis C (HCV) which are Sofosbuvir with Ledipasvir or Daclatasvir and which showed a cure rate of 98% as per some clinical trials. He mentioned that the new standard of treatment as compared to the old standard of treatment with Pegylated Interferon are more effective with higher cure rates, shorter treatment duration, lesser side effects and considerably cheaper in price. During the course of both the meetings, the participants shared their concerns in making the services and treatment facility available in their respective districts.
Ketho Angami also informed that the State government is also exploring various means to implement programs on HCV in the state based on the recommendations submitted by HepCoN to chief secretary on March 4, 2016.
In the meantime, the meeting also discussed other means to make HCV services in the districts with support from the existing resources.
The program was attended by members from Drug Users’ Networks, TI NGO partners and was supported by NUN and HepCoN.