Hepatitis C

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:06 pm on 10 May 2022.

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Photo of Sarah Murphy Sarah Murphy Labour 2:06, 10 May 2022

First Minister, at the Hepatitis C Trust event here at the Senedd last week, I got to talk with Kieren, who is from Porthcawl in my constituency, about the peer support work that he and others are doing across our communities. People like Kieren are making the difference to those vulnerable to diseases like hepatitis C, and he shared his experience of working on the ground. And it really did sadden me to learn that, whilst there is progress for testing and treatment for diseases such as HIV, there is still much stigma around diseases like hepatitis C that is preventing people then from getting tested. The reasons why people may become vulnerable to hepatitis C can often be very complex, but Kieren assured me that, through the peer support, whether it is in hostels or prisons, it is making a difference and mitigating the spread. That really can be eradicated in our lifetime. First Minister, how is the Welsh Government working with organisations such as the Hepatitis C Trust to destigmatise it and ensure that communities who are most vulnerable are provided with the resources to be tested, treated and supported?