HepCAP’s in the news! Thank you to the South Philly Review for covering our first Town Hall in their latest issue.
Community Health Leaders Come Together for Hep C Town Hall at South Philly Library
Members from Hepatitis C Allies of Philadelphia (HepCAP), an organization dedicated to raising awareness about Hepatitis C, and the city Department of Health were on hand for a HepCAP Town Hall Monday night at the South Philadelphia Library. The event served as a gathering of local Hep C allies to exchange information and resources, identify neighborhood-specific strengths and opportunities, and empower and galvanize South Philadelphia communities to become leaders in the movement to eliminate hepatitis C in Philadelphia.
The Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is the most common bloodborne infection in the U.S., and 45,000 Philadelphia residents are believed to have hepatitis C. Over 50 percent of people living with a HCV are not even aware that they are infected, and many do not know there is a cure for HCV.
According to Danica Kuncio, Viral Hepatitis program manager at the Department of Health, there are estimated to be at least 4.1 million people in the United States have HepC, a figure has gone up in recent years due to the opioid crisis. However, Kuncio said it’s likely the 4.1 million number is lower than the actual figure because people have to be tested for the disease in order to know if they actually have it. Unfortunately, Kuncio said, many people simply don’t get tested. The disease, however, is curable.
