Wayne County has received state approval to open a needle exchange program to help reduce the spread of hepatitis C in the area.
State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams declared a public health emergency for the county, opening the door for a syringe exchange program for intravenous drug users.
Reid Hospital and Health Care Services and Centerstone of Indiana will partner with the Wayne County Health Department to run the program, according to documents the county filed with the state.
Hepatitis C in Wayne County has reached epidemic proportions, local health officials say. In Wayne County, 179 out of 100,000 people have hepatitis C, compared with the state rate of 69 per 100,000. Many of those testing positive for the disease in the past three years have been young adults, between the ages of 20 and 39, who inject drugs.
Wayne County officials estimate that running the program for the year will cost $13,122 in hard expenses, such as supplies such as needles and disease kits. Reid Health and Centerstone will help pay for these.
Four other counties in Indiana — Scott, Madison, Fayette and Monroe — also have needle exchange programs.
After last year's HIV epidemic in Scott County, which has been linked to intravenous drug use, the Indiana General Assembly passed a law allowing for the establishment of needle exchange programs in counties that can show they have an epidemic of HIV or hepatitis C linked to intravenous drug use. Counties must also show that such a program will be part of a comprehensive response to the problem.
State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams declared a public health emergency for the county, opening the door for a syringe exchange program for intravenous drug users.
Reid Hospital and Health Care Services and Centerstone of Indiana will partner with the Wayne County Health Department to run the program, according to documents the county filed with the state.
Hepatitis C in Wayne County has reached epidemic proportions, local health officials say. In Wayne County, 179 out of 100,000 people have hepatitis C, compared with the state rate of 69 per 100,000. Many of those testing positive for the disease in the past three years have been young adults, between the ages of 20 and 39, who inject drugs.
Wayne County officials estimate that running the program for the year will cost $13,122 in hard expenses, such as supplies such as needles and disease kits. Reid Health and Centerstone will help pay for these.
Four other counties in Indiana — Scott, Madison, Fayette and Monroe — also have needle exchange programs.
After last year's HIV epidemic in Scott County, which has been linked to intravenous drug use, the Indiana General Assembly passed a law allowing for the establishment of needle exchange programs in counties that can show they have an epidemic of HIV or hepatitis C linked to intravenous drug use. Counties must also show that such a program will be part of a comprehensive response to the problem.
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