Tuesday 25 June 2024 – 17:55
A simple lancing device and the result in a few minutes. To date, over 300 general practitioners and 145 pharmacies have joined the free screening campaign againsthepatitis C promoted by the Tuscany Region and, starting this week, they will begin to offer the rapid test in clinics and pharmacies.
Numbers that are added to the offices of voluntary associations that in 2023 alone carried out 41 thousand tests and took care of the organization of the open day that, last May, allowed a thousand tests to be carried out in one day.
“We are satisfied that general medicine and pharmacies share this important prevention objective with us and for this I want to thank them – comments the councilor for the right to health Simone Bezzini – their contribution will be fundamental to reach the greatest number of people and inform the population about the importance of adhering to screening against Hepatitis C. The data from this first month are encouraging and tell us that people are responding well, demonstrating a a culture of self-care and collective well-being is widespread, fundamental for the protection of everyone’s health.”
The screening campaign is aimed at people between 35 and 55 years old, the age group identified by the Ministry of Health. In fact, even for 2024, the population invited to undergo the test will be those born between 1969 and 1989. To which are added the prison population and users of the Serd, the addiction service, where the campaign has already resumed. The test can be carried out until December 31st of this year.
In addition to the tests, the Region has launched the “TestiamoCi” communication campaign, which will also accompany the main summer arenas in Tuscany. In the same vein, posters, brochures and information material have been produced, available in general practitioners’ surgeries and pharmacies.
