CHIPO-NYC Committee Meeting Highlights | 8-30-2023

Coalition against Hepatitis in People of African Origin (CHIPO)

NYC Chapter – Quarterly Meeting Highlights

Wednesday, August 30th (3 – 4:30 PM)

hepfree.nyc/CHIPO-NYC / chipo.org

Meeting Highlights

Partners’ announcement and Updates

• CHIPO-NYC Updates:
  • Take a moment to fill out the following documents to better support you and your organizations in educating and increasing awareness regarding Hep B and C.
    • African Providers Treating Hep B in NYC 
    • Collaboration Across CHIPO-NYC Partner Organizations:
    • Learn more about CHIPO-NYC here

• Partner’s Update:
  • Montefiore Medical Center offers free Blood pressure machine with hep B screening, contact Fatima Omarufilo, Check Hep B Patient Navigator at alabaran@montefiore.org for more information or to refer patients.
  • Join Immigrant Health Alliance Meeting: Thursday, September 19th @ 1pm
    • If interested, email Amegnona Ekon, Brooklyn Knows Liaison and Boroughwide Immigrant Health Lead, NYC Department of Health, aekon@health.nyc.gov
  • DSI International Inc, dsiinternational.org is hiring an Outreach Coordinator and Program Manager.

Presentation

• Hepatitis Outreach Network (HONE)
  Lovely Joseph, Hone Clinical Coordinator, lovely.joseph@icahn.mssm.edu 

• • View presentation
  • Provides Hep B screening at no cost
  • Barriers for Hep B or C screening: Individuals are unaware of vaccination for Hep B, in addition to the lack of proper referrals.
  • 2 additional community events are scheduled for 2023, contact Lovely for additional information.
    • Hep B screening is free
    • 1st visit (consultation) is free
    • Follow-ups: Staff connects patient to insurance enrollment or to a patient navigator
• New York Knows Immigrant Health Alliance (IHA): A Community Engagement Perspective
  Amegnona Ekon, Brooklyn Knows Liaison and Boroughwide Immigrant Health Lead, NYC Department of Health, aekon@health.nyc.gov 
  • View Presentation
  • Join the New York Knows meetings and Immigrant Health Alliance meetings: email Amegnona for meeting details
  • HIV related resources and care, contact Amegnona Ekon
  • Next Immigrant Health Alliance Meeting: Thursday, September 19th @ 1pm
    • Meeting occurs every 3rd Thursday of the month

Discussion

• What myths and misconceptions can be addressed to improve the perception around testing for Hep B and HIV in the community?
  • Fear is the common barrier for the lack awareness and support in the community
    • In many families, diseases aren’t often talked about, instead they are suppressed which leads to many stigmas and myths from assumptions and rumors
  • Governments could utilize public figures or celebrities diagnosed with hepatitis B or HIV to eliminate or reduce the stigma, myths, and misconceptions Some people are only aware of sexual transmission, education about other method of transmission is needed
  • Religious beliefs “god’s will” “god will take care of me”
• Coinfection, how can we destigmatize testing for Hep B and HIV in the African community?
  • Create a system where unscreened patients will be flagged at their appointment for screening
  • A partner mobile van which creates a safe space and accessibility in the community
  • These diseases could be incorporated in TV shows to eliminate the stigma around it and normalize testing, care and treatment.
  • Building trust with the patient especially in hospital setting where they may not feel comfortable getting care
  • Having culturally component community health workers provide screening and education
  • Meeting them at the front desk and accompanying them to the appointment
  • Giving the patient their test results in person

In attendance:

1. Alma Chaves, Projects Coordinator, NYC Health Dept, achaves@health.nyc.gov
2. Amegnona Ekon, NYC Health Dept, aekon@health.nyc.gov
3. Farma Pene, Program Coordinator, NYC Health Dept, fpene@health.nyc.gov
4. Fatima Omarufilo, Patient Navigator, Montefiore Medical Center, alabaran@montefiore.org
5. Fatoumata Ngaido, Patient Navigator/Outreach Worker, African Services Committee, fatoumatan@africanservices.org
6. Holly Moore, Public Health Program Coordinator, Hep B Foundation, holly.moore@hepb.org
7. Ibrahima Sankare, Testing & Outreach Assistant, African Services Committee, ibsankare@yahoo.fr
8. Lital Aliasi-Sinai, Medical Student, Viral Hepatitis Community Partner, litalasinai@gmail.com
9. Lovely Joseph, Mount Sinai institute for Liver Medicine, lovely.joseph@icahn.mssm.edu
10. Nadine Kela-Murphy, Clinical Practice Facilitation Program Manager, NYC Health Dept, nkelamurphy@health.nyc.gov
11. Tishonie Sam, Program Assistant – Intern, NYC Health Dept, tsam@health.nyc.gov
12. Toyin Omolola, CEO, DSI International Inc, dsiinternational14@gmail.com
13. Yusyin Hsin, New York Knows Project Officer, NYC Health Dept, yhsin1@health.nyc.gov
14. Umaima Khatun, Program Manager, NYC Health Dept, ukhatun@health.nyc.gov
15. Aminatou Mounkaila, Mount Sinai Hone

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Last Updated on October 18, 2023 by HepFree NYC