World Hepatitis Day is aiming for a world without viral hepatitis
People are encouraged to learn more about disease's 'causes, consequences'
World Hepatitis Day arrives Monday and advocates are gearing up to break down barriers that stand in the way of a world free from hepatitis.
“In recognition of World Hepatitis Day, the American Liver Foundation (ALF) encourages Americans to learn more about the causes and consequences of hepatitis,” Emmanuel Thomas, MD, PhD, board chair of ALF, said in a statement to Liver Disease News.
Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver. Its most common forms are caused by viral infections, including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.
Over the last several decades, the medical toolkit to combat hepatitis has expanded considerably, including vaccines to prevent infections and antiviral medications to combat them.
“Fortunately, vaccines are available to prevent [hepatitis] A and B. [Hepatitis] C is the only type of hepatitis that can be cured with antiviral medications, which help control or reduce the risk of liver damage,” Thomas said.
A need for expanded access to care
Despite these advances, viral hepatitis remains a major health problem worldwide.
This year, as part of World Hepatitis Day on July 28, advocates are calling for expanding access to care in an effort to eliminate this disease once and for all.
“This World Hepatitis Day, let’s break down the barriers holding us back from a hepatitis-free world … [so that] everyone sees that hepatitis elimination is not only possible, but achievable — if we all work together to make it happen,” states the initiative’s webpage, which is sponsored by the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA).
Barriers to hepatitis care include a lack of knowledge and stigma surrounding the disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which has set a goal of ending hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030. Financial and systemic inequities that hinder access to effective medical care are also factors.
The goals of this year’s World Hepatitis Day are to break down these barriers by eliminating the stigma associated with hepatitis and increasing knowledge so everyone can make informed choices about testing, vaccination, and treatment. Advocates are calling for decision makers to become advocates themselves and provide resources to combat hepatitis where those resources are needed.
The theme of breaking down barriers “emphasizes the need to simplify, scale up, and integrate hepatitis services — vaccination, safe injection practices, harm reduction, and especially testing and treatment — into national health systems,” according to WHO.
To support the community, the WHA has created resources for supporting different actions big and small — from sharing info on social media to setting up meetings with lawmakers. The alliance also is offering educational material to help share information about hepatitis.
WHO also has created campaign materials and key messages to help support advocacy work for this year’s World Hepatitis Day, and will host a webinar on Monday.
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