CALL FOR ADDICTS TO LEARN ABOUT THE SILENT KILLER

DRUG experts in Glasgow today called for #4million to tackle
Hepatitis C to be spent on educating drug addicts.

They insisted the funding package announced by the Executive must be
spent wisely if rates of 'Scotland's silent killer' were to be cut.

Figures revealed that an estimated 20,000 people in the Glasgow area
suffered from the deadly virus - 11,000 of whom had no idea they had
contracted it.

Yesterday, as reported in the Evening Times, Scottish Health
Minister Andy Kerr announced the new funding to tackle the 'silent
killer' he said was most common among drug users who shared needles.

Today Parkhead GP Dr Tom Gilhooley, who advises the Executive on
drug abuse, said it was imperative the money was used on educating
people at risk from the infection, which attacks the liver.

"Most people are now wise to needle sharing and I don't think that
is so much of a problem. What they are doing is sharing all the
other paraphernalia such as filters and water and spoons.

"People need to know how to look after themselves. They can survive
having the virus as long as they're not taking loads of alcohol and drugs.

"Some of the money could most definitely be put to education. I see
a lot of people who have had Hepatitis C for years and continue to
take alcohol and their systems really take a hammering."

Claire Morris, coordinator of C-Level, a voluntary organisation set
up specifically to address the Hepatitis C problem, echoed Dr
Gilhooley's comments about the need for greater education.

"The only way to prevent the spread of this is to educate people and
that is one of the things we are heavily involved in.

"We recruit ex-drug users and get them to speak to current drug
users. That kind of 'peer education' is more effective at getting
the message across."