A new series of hepatitis C testing events is underway in Victoria as the Victoria Cool Aid Society and Telus team up to improve access to life-saving care for people facing barriers to traditional health services.
The initiative, launched July 24 on World Hepatitis Day, aims to deliver 700 rapid tests by the end of 2025.
The first event took place at Rock Bay Landing, Victoria’s largest shelter, where Cool Aid staff offered hepatitis C screening and Telus volunteers provided nutritional support.
"Hepatitis C often has no symptoms, so you could have it without knowing," said Cool Aid spokesperson Tamara Barnett. "Getting tested helps you start treatment early, avoid liver damage, and prevents passing the virus on to others.”
The campaign is being carried out through the two mobile health clinics and has supported more than 40,000 patient visits since their launches in 2021 and 2023.
Barnett said the society’s peer-led hepatitis C program has already screened more than 1,900 people, leading to over 50 successful treatments. The additional support from Telus, she added, will allow them to reach more people than ever before.
Hepatitis C is a liver infection that can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer if left untreated. There is no vaccine, but effective treatment can cure most cases in as little as eight weeks.
Rates of infection are significantly higher among people experiencing housing instability.
Cool Aid and Telus plan to hold further testing events in community locations across Victoria this year, with dates and locations to be announced.
