The Chinese Hospital and Chinese Community Health Plan announced on May 23 that they have teamed up with the S.F. Hep B Free’s citywide campaign to make San Francisco the first hepatitis B free city in the nation.
The Chinese Hospital, Chinese Community Health Plan, Excelsior Health Services and Sunset Health Services will work together to outreach to the Chinese community, and will provide screenings, vaccinations, treatments, medical follow-ups and educational classes for the general public in Mandarin and Cantonese.
The first class, ”Hepatitis B: Am I at Risk?,” will take place on June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Chinese Hospital located at 845 Jackson Street. The class will also be held on July 19 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Excelsior Health Services located at 888 Paris Street and on Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Chinese Hospital.
Prior to joining the campaign, these organizations have already been working on raising awareness of the disease.
In 2001, CCHP, in partnership with its physicians’ medical group, Chinese Community Health Care Association, NICOS Chinese Health Coalition and the Chinatown Public Health Center, developed guidelines and promoted professional education and consumer awareness for testing for hepatitis B through the “B-Wise” project. CCHP was also the first HMO plan in the nation to recognize hepatitis B testing and vaccination as a plan benefit, according to Dr. Edward Chow, medical director of CCHP.
“We are pleased that there is now a citywide campaign, and we will continue to fully support the Hep B Free campaign,” Chow said.
For the last 10 years, the Chinese Hospital has also been hosting ongoing programs and vaccinations for the disease, said Rose Pak, a member of the board of trustees and the chair of the Community Relations Committee of the Chinese Hospital.
In the last three years, the Chinese Hospital and its clinics have screened approximately 2,400 people and vaccinated 2,600 for hepatitis B. Ten percent of those screened are positive for the disease.
“I’m excited that there is a citywide campaign which has rejuvenated awareness of this disease,” said Brenda Yee, CEO of Chinese Hospital. “Now, with the rest of the community, we can eradicate the disease.”
For more information on screenings or educational classes, call (415) 677-2488. For more about the S.F. Hep B Free campaign: sfhepbfree.org or thuynh@awfoundation.com.