NHS TAYSIDE will spend £2.7 million over the next three years tracking down and treating drug addicts with Hepatitis C who contracted the potentially serious blood-borne infection through sharing contaminated needles, writes Marjory Inglis, health reporter.

Without screening many would be unaware they have the virus until they go on to develop chronic liver disease or cancer.

The majority of people infected with the virus have no symptoms and do not know they are infected.

NHS Tayside’s strategic policy and resources committee yesterday heard there are an estimated 3000 people in Tayside who have the condition but have not been diagnosed.

At the moment an average of 44 people a year are treated but NHS Tayside is planning to step up its activity both in treating the disease and preventing the spread of infection.

Ann Eriksen, NHS Tayside’s commissioner for sexual health and blood borne virus, said the long-term consequences of Hep C are significant.

“The overwhelming majority of people go on to develop chronic liver disease,” she said.

“The Hepatitis C virus is responsible for between a half and three quarters of all liver cancer cases.”

The commissioner said that nationally the Scottish Government is investing £43 million over the next three years to tackle Hep C.

NHS Tayside has been allocated £2.7 million.

Mrs Eriksen outlined plans to spend the cash on increased screening for the virus and treating more people with the infection.

While not all people with the virus are injecting drug users or have been so in the past, that is where the most significant problem lies.

Up to half of injecting and former drug users have the infection, falling to less than 0.4% of the general population.