Rotary HEP Hero Peter Clark

Physician | Rotary Club of Melbourne

I initiated a project within Rotary through my membership of the Rotary Club of Melbourne.

The project aims to increase community awareness of Hepatitis B and C. In partnership with Hepatitis Victoria we aim to have presentations to at least 30 Rotary Clubs in Victoria this year.

Progress has been thwarted by COVID-19 but we are looking at ways of continuing our partnership in spite of the difficulties posed by social isolation.

I am a physician and have spent most of my professional life in Public Health in one form or another. I was in charge of Public Health in South Australia in the 1970s before I joined Mobil as General Manager of Health, Safety and Environment.

Since my retirement from Mobil in 2001 I have worked as an Occupational Medicine consultant. I have been a member of the Rotary Club of Melbourne for many years.

I first treated patients with Hepatitis A in the Northfield Wards of the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1967. Infectious disease control was one of the reasons I started in Public Health early in my medical career.

I have returned to it in latter years, largely as a result of my attending an AVHEC Conference which re-awakened my interest in the Hepatitides.

Increased awareness is essential if the morbidity, mortality and costs associated with treatable diseases are to be controlled. Hepatitis B and C are among the diseases where the potential is huge if we can spread the word successfully.

Peter’s message to others

Join the program!