Victim of Hepatitis C outbreak now an advocate for change
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A conference was held in Las Vegas on Wednesday to discuss changes being made to protect against Hepatitis. Video by ktnv.com
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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- Four years after a massive Hepatitis C outbreak, health officials from around the state are gathering to see what changes have been made and what still needs to be done to protect patients.
When Karen morrow went to the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada for an outpatient procedure in 2005, she never thought about asking where the needles that were used had been. But in 2008, she found out she had contracted Hepatitis C.
"When I did test positive, I was very surprised- very scared," Morrow said.
She underwent a year of treatment and is now healthy. But the experience changed her.
"I wanted to learn more about infection protection, and how to be sure something like this never happens again," Morrow said.
She began working with Honor Reform, a national advocacy group dedicated to protecting patients.
They were just one of the groups taking part in the Nevada State Health Division Infection Prevention Conference on Wednesday. They say Nevada has made great strides when it comes to health care practices.
There are new government departments focused on safe injections, and laws that have been passed since 2008 requiring health care workers to attest to following safe procedure.
Morrow feels good about the changes, and the fact that conferences like this on are keeping awareness up.
"There will always be ways to stop infection," Morrow said. "As long as people in health care are dedicated to making sure that happens, it will happen."
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