New HepatitisWA service to launch in Geraldton, aims to bridge critical healthcare gap
HepatitisWA announced the rollout of the Hep B WA platform on Monday, designed to deliver life-saving information, testing and treatment access to remote areas and culturally and linguistically diverse communities who are disproportionately affected by the virus.
The platform will offer telehealth consultations and support from trained health workers, with culturally safe care pathways built into the model.
CEO of HepatitisWA Rebecca Smith said the initiative came as WA continued to fall short of national treatment targets, with only two per cent of regional residents with chronic hepatitis B having access to proper care in the last year.
Across WA, more than 29,000 people currently live with hepatitis B or C — an increase of more than 1700 cases since 2024. If left untreated, the viruses can lead to liver failure or liver cancer, which is now the fastest-growing cause of cancer deaths in Australia.
'In country WA, just four per cent of people living with hepatitis B receive any care, and in more remote parts of the State, it's less than two per cent,' Ms Smith said.
'There is a vaccine and effective treatment for hepatitis B, but people are still dying simply because they can't access the care they need. We're launching this digital lifeline to change that.
'By prioritising regions with the greatest need, we can ensure the service has immediate impact while building a scaleable model for future expansion.'
The new service's stage-one rollout is focused on the Mid West, with Geraldton identified as a priority due to limited local hepatitis services and the city's high proportion of culturally and linguistically diverse and Aboriginal residents.
Ms Smith said many people affected by hepatitis B were from communities with a high prevalence of the disease, often juggling complex healthcare needs in a system that did not always meet them where they were.
'No matter where you live in WA or who you are, if hepatitis affects your life, this service is here for you,' she said.
'Postcode should never be a barrier to care. People shouldn't have to travel hundreds of kilometres or navigate complicated systems just to know their status and access treatment.'
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