Today I spoke at a conference designed to increase the awareness of Hepatitis C in communities. Hepatitis C is a serious and lifelong infection that can lead to liver disease and organ failure. Unfortunately, there is not a vaccine yet to treat the infection. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that approximately 3-4 million Americans are living with the disease.
My talk at the conference this morning focused on what local municipalities and states can do to find ways to raise awareness around Hepatitis C to promote effective means of preventing the spread of the infection. Throughout my tenure as mayor, I have found that one of the best ways to improve municipal programs is to share best practices with other cities and states. What better way to know that a program works than to see whether or not it works somewhere else? In that regard, I spoke specifically about the South Carolina Hepatitis C Coalition, an organized group of health care providers and citizens who are diligently working to raise awareness about the disease and to promote preventative programs. South Carolina provides an excellent model for other states to emulate to find low-cost ways to promote collaborative efforts amongst health care providers to raise awareness and promote prevention efforts. Connecticut should follow suit to prevent the unnecessary spread of a life threatening illness that afflicts too many citizens in our state.
