The Cherokee Nation held a topping-out ceremony for the expansion of the W.W. Hastings Hospital in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on March 9, 2018. When complete in 2019, the facility will be the largest tribal health facility in the United States. Photo: Anadisgoi

Health | National

Cherokee Nation sees success with 'trailblazing' program for hepatitis C

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

The Cherokee Nation is reducing hepatitis C among its citizens, The Associated Press reports.

Since launching a program three years ago, the tribe has screened more than 40,000 people for the disease. Of those who tested positive, 90 percent have been cured, the AP said.

"It's a trailblazing project for the entire country," John Ward of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has been working with the tribe, told the AP.

Hepatitis C is a viral infection which can often remain symptomless for years, according to the World Hepatitis Alliance. Left unchecked, it can cause extensive liver damage, including cirrhosis, liver cancer and death, the alliance said.

The tribe set a goal to 80,000 patients between the ages of 20 and 65. People within that age group are more likely than others to have a higher chance of testing positive for hepatitis C, the AP reported.

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Cherokee Nation lauded for hepatitis C elimination effort (The Associated Press May 16, 2018)