Senate Resolution 139

PAG LIN

  1  1                SENATE RESOLUTION NO.    
  1  2                 BY  BOETTGER and RAGAN
  1  3 A Resolution to recognize May 2004 as Hepatitis C
  1  4    Awareness and Education Month and to urge greater
  1  5    public awareness and education regarding hepatitis C.
  1  6    WHEREAS, hepatitis C is the most common chronic
  1  7 bloodborne viral infection in the United States,
  1  8 infecting 3.9 million people nationwide and an
  1  9 additional 25,000 people each year, and is the leading
  1 10 cause of liver disease, elevating the risk of chronic
  1 11 liver disease, liver cancer, and other hepatitis C
  1 12 virus=related illnesses; and
  1 13    WHEREAS, sixty=seven percent of hepatitis C=
  1 14 infected persons are chronically infected and
  1 15 approximately 8,000 to 10,000 people in the United
  1 16 States die each year from conditions caused by
  1 17 hepatitis C; and
  1 18    WHEREAS, there were 52,943 estimated cases of
  1 19 hepatitis C in Iowa according to 2001 census data with
  1 20 an additional 3,946 cases identified in Iowa between
  1 21 January 1, 2002, and August 31, 2003; and
  1 22    WHEREAS, infected individuals who are unaware that
  1 23 they are infected are unlikely to take precautions to
  1 24 prevent the spread or exacerbation of their infection;
  1 25 and
  1 26    WHEREAS, in the absence of a vaccine for hepatitis
  1 27 C, emphasis must be placed on other means of awareness
  1 28 and prevention of this disease, including education of
  1 29 persons at high risk for hepatitis C as defined by the
  1 30 federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as
  2  1 well as peace officers, fire fighters, health care
  2  2 workers, and the general public; NOW THEREFORE,
  2  3    BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the members of
  2  4 the Senate recognize May 2004 as Hepatitis C Awareness
  2  5 and Education Month; and
  2  6    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa Department of
  2  7 Public Health provide to the General Assembly the
  2  8 findings of the State Advisory Committee on Hepatitis,
  2  9 including recommendations for programs and policies
  2 10 related to hepatitis C awareness, education,
  2 11 screening, prevention, and treatment, by December 31,
  2 12 2004; and
  2 13    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That, upon adoption, the
  2 14 Secretary of the Senate shall send a copy of this
  2 15 Resolution to the Iowa Department of Public Health.
  2 16 LSB 6982SS 80
  2 17 kk/sh/8