Lovelie FaustinoBy – October 18, 2011Posted in: Bay Area, News, Voices from The Community
Today on the steps of City Hall, the San Francisco Hepatitis C Task Force and San Francisco Hep B Free campaign teamed up along with the Asian American and LGBT communities to call on the San Francisco mayoral candidates to tackle the issue of eradicating Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C citywide.
 SF Leaders, including Assemblywoman Ma on the steps of City Hall to get mayoral candidates to address the city issues of liver cancer and hepatitis.
If you did not know, San Francisco has the highest rate of liver cancer in the nation and liver cancer is the deadliest cancer in America. The main cause of liver cancer is the infection of hepatitis.
Ted Fang, member of AsianWeek foundation and San Francisco Hep B Free took to the podium to publicly address the candidates on the topic.
“We want to know what the next mayoral candidates will do to end the epidemic,” said Fang.
He then asked that the sixteen candidates running for the office of mayor to write a 300 word statement about how their administration would end hepatitis in the city if elected.
Honorable attendees at the press conference included: CA Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore, Fiona Ma; San Francisco Supervisor, Scott Wiener and Sheriff Candidate, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi.
Assemblywoman Ma, who recently authored Bill 300 that was passed to help assist the elimination of hepatitis threats in tattoo and piercing parlors, used her time to extend the campaign effort across the nation by “getting everyone on board to eradicate this disease.” She even proposed that the community should get President Obama to work on the issue.
SF Supervisor, Scott Wiener stressed how crucial it is to have local leadership on such an important topic that not only affects Asian Americans (1 in 10 Asian and Pacific Islanders is living with chronic hepatitis B), it affects gay men.
Supervisor Wiener shared his personal story about how after he came out to the public he “got tested and then got vaccinated” for hepatitis.
Board of Supervisor, Mirkarimi transitioned to how hepatitis affects those in the jail system who are sometimes overlooked when it comes to the virus.
“I want to make sure we circle the whole equation in the jail system,” said Supervisor Mirkarimi.
Andrew Reynolds, SF Hep C Task Force Community leader, utilized his time to speak on behalf of the citizens of San Francisco and tie in all the present groups.
“It’s estimated that 12,000 citizens are suffering with Hep B and probably many more,” said Reynolds.
The mayoral candidates’ statements of eliminating hepatitis will be published in the program of the 4th Annual Hep B Gala entitled “Ending ALL Hepatitis” that is scheduled for November 4th.
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发表于 2011-10-18 12:48