Posted on February 03, 2015
Source: Eefa Tabassum
Hi, I’m Eefa, and I’m an MPH student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As a dentist from Pakistan, I learned how the hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV epidemics are partially fuelled by “street” or quack dentistry, which is used by many individuals as alternatives to expensive regular dental care. I found it even sadder that sometimes dentists were not able to treat patients who were positive for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV because the stringent personal protection and infection control protocols that are required were not always available in their low-resource settings.
I joined Generation Tomorrow because I was interested in gaining cross-cultural experience and engaging with the community to better understand and appreciate hepatitis and HIV counseling programs in the US. I have learned so much about positively impacting health behavior and perception. We are all partners who are working to reverse the growing number of hepatitis C and HIV cases through firm encouragement and gentle reminders about safe practices and self-protection. I found the concept of harm reduction novel and interesting. Every individual should be comfortable talking to us without fear of ridicule and embarrassment. As hepatitis C and HIV testers, we are their confidantes and continual support in their journey towards a healthier lifestyle.
