Associate Professor Behzad Hajarizadeh from the Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research Program at the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney leads a team that has been awarded a Partnership Project grant of $1.5 million from the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to work towards the elimination of viral hepatitis in prisons across Australia.
Although hepatitis C is curable, without effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment infection can lead to advanced liver diseases such as cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer and death.
Currently in Australia, there are an estimated 68,900 people living with chronic hepatitis C who are at risk of serious health concerns. People in prison are one of the priority populations, as identified by the National HCV Strategy (prevalence of 8% vs. less than 1% in the community), as well as people who inject drugs, who account for 90 per cent of new and 80 per cent of existing cases.
However, while more than one-third of all DAA treatment in Australia takes place in prisons, there are significant differences in hepatitis C prevalence, clinical care in prisons across states and territories. With this in mind, the Partnership Project grant will fund a research program to assess the hepatitis C epidemics and the coverage of testing, treatment and prevention measures in prisons across each jurisdiction.
Using these data, this grant will also evaluate efficiency and cost-effectiveness of various prison-based hepatitis C management programs in each jurisdiction, which is essential for development of jurisdiction-specific strategies and programs for hepatitis C elimination in prisons.
The research program will enable the development of strategies to help eliminate hepatitis C in prisons. Photography: Adobe Stock.
“This Partnership Project grant will allow us to collaborate with our partners from all jurisdictions and conduct an enhanced annual survey that provides a nationally representative evaluation of hepatitis C across the Australian prison network,” says Associate Professor Hajarizadeh. “The resulting data will be invaluable in developing specific strategies and programs for different parts of the country and having a marked impact on the lives of people living with hepatitis C.”
Other chief investigators include Professor Andrew Lloyd, Dr Yumi Sheehan, Professor Greg Dore, Dr Marianne Martinello, Professor Jason Grebely, Associate Professor Richard Gray and Dr Sophy Shih from the Kirby Institute, as well as Professor Alex Thompson from the University of Melbourne, and Associate Professor Jane Davies from Menzies School of Health Research.
This project builds on long-term partnerships with the National Prisons Hepatitis Network (NPHN) and partner organisations such as Justice Health and Correctional sectors and healthcare providers.
“Through collaboration and targeted research, this project will ensure rapid and effective translation of the findings into policy and practice so that those most at risk receive the care they deserve,” says Professor Andrew Lloyd, a chief investigator on the grant and the chair of NPHN.
“Collaboration is a core value of ours here at the Kirby Institute and is essential to generate impactful and comprehensive research outcomes,” says Scientia Professor Anthony Kelleher, director of the Kirby Institute. “This Partnership Project grant is an outstanding opportunity to help move Australia closer towards a healthier, hepatitis-free future and I congratulate all those involved.”
This project involves 21 collaborating partners, including service providers, community organisations, industry and policy makers in national and jurisdictional health and correctional sectors.
The NHMRC Partnership Project funding scheme supports researchers, policy makers, manager, clinicians and decision-makers work together to influence health and wellbeing through changes in the delivery, organisation, funding and access to health services.
Did you know?
The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to eliminate HCV as a public health threat by 2030. Specific targets are diagnosing 90% and treating 80% of people with HCV.