The Dunedin organisation helping look after people with hepatitis C should stay open for the next year, and is hoping to hear soon about new sources of funding that would make its long-term future certain.
The Hepatitis C Resource Centre Otago expects to know in the next two weeks or so if it can continue its work long-term, after just two months ago announcing its Ministry of Health funding had been cut.
Centre co-ordinator Allison Beck said yesterday she had never been busier, since Dunedin law student Hazel Heal went public in the Otago Daily Times late last year with her ‘‘buyers' club'', which was helping people import new drugs that cured almost all cases of the potentially lethal virus.
Generic drugs brought to New Zealand through Australia cost about $2000, instead of about $84,000 in New Zealand.
‘‘The buyers' club has necessitated the need for resources.''
People had been approaching her from other health organisations asking when the centre would close.
‘‘What we've got now is two possibilities of keeping the centre open.
‘‘At the moment, I'm at least open until September-October, but hopefully, at least through to March 2017.
‘‘We'll be looking at ways to continue funding the service.''
Ms Beck said there had been so much media coverage of hepatitis C issues recently the Ministry of Health would be hard-pushed not to fund the service.
‘‘It's very cheap. We run on the smell of an oily rag.''
The centre ran on less than $45,000 a year, including wages and overheads.
‘‘They've thrown millions at hep C over the years to no avail, and I think we're doing a pretty good job.''
david.loughrey @odt.co.nz
