Western Australian health authorities are concerned about stubbornly high rates of bloodborne viruses in the state's Aboriginal communities.
WA Health figures show the state recorded 1,000 cases of hepatitis C in the previous 12 months, with one third being Indigenous people.
Bloodborne virus program manager Lisa Bastian said figures for hepatitis C and similar viruses, such as hepatitis B and HIV, had declined in the general population in recent years.
Despite this, she said First Nations communities remained vastly over-represented in the figures.
Ms Bastian said managing COVID-19 had diverted public health attention away from bloodborne viruses and may have contributed to the high figures.
She said restrictions had also limited peoples' access to their regular healthcare services.
Aboriginal Health Council of WA public health clinical support nurse Joe Staniszewski said bloodborne viruses were spread by sharing needles or having unprotected sex.
He said the viruses can be treated effectively but pose serious health risks if they are left alone.
He said Indigenous people in remote WA often faced barriers to accessing healthcare because of a lack of services and social stigma.
"There could be that hesitation for people to be honest and open with their health practitioner because they might be worried that they're going to be judged," he said.
Regional campaign to stop the spread
Ms Bastian said WA Health hoped to address the problem by raising awareness with a campaign targeted at Aboriginal people in regional areas.
She said the campaign would use messages such as "look after your blood" and "never share needles" to help increase awareness of bloodborne viruses.
Ms Bastian said because the state had progressed to living with COVID-19 in the community the time was right to focus more attention on other public health issues.
"It is really about raising awareness about testing and treatment," she said.
"Now that we're kind of getting back to normal having a greater awareness, or kind of refreshing people's awareness, about these bloodborne viruses and encouraging people to get tested is important."
