One of the things that I have found is part of my job is to discuss and expose those things that are blocking people’s access to getting treatment for their Hepatitis C.
This does involve focusing on negative things, which is really something I would rather not do. Scams, corruption, government incompetance, bad laws and so on.
I would would much rather just write about all the good things that are happening, because there are many.
In New Zealand a number of people began putting pressure on the New Zealand government to improve treatment options for people in New Zealand with Hep C. This included using the powerful tool of the news media and lobbying poiliticians and medical people.
To use the news media involves that people have to go public with the fact that they have Hepatitis C, this requires a degree of courage and personal honesty. It also needs people to open themselves up to the public and explain the issues that surround Hep C clearly and honestly.
A number of people, including patients and medical professionals, came together to do this in New Zealand this time last year after one of New Zealand’s top Current Affairs programs did a story on what I and Dr Freeman were doing in Australian.
Now , a year later, the work of these people has borne fruit and things in New Zealand have changed in a BIG way...