World Hepatitis Day, July 28.

Theme 2015 : Prevent hepatitis. Act now


WHO calls for urgent action to curb hepatitis

News release : 23 JULY 2015 ¦ GENEVA - On World Hepatitis Day (28 July) WHO highlights the urgent need for countries to enhance action to prevent viral hepatitis infection and to ensure that people who have been infected are diagnosed and offered treatment. This year, the Organization is focusing particularly on hepatitis B and C, which together cause approximately 80% of all liver cancer deaths and kill close to 1.4 million people every year.
 
Know the risks

WHO is alerting people to the risks of contracting hepatitis from unsafe blood, unsafe injections, and sharing drug-injection equipment. Some 11 million people who inject drugs have hepatitis B or C infection. Children born to mothers with hepatitis B or C and sex partners of people with hepatitis are also at risk of becoming infected.
The Organization emphasizes the need for all health services to reduce risks by using only sterile equipment for injections and other medical procedures, to test all donated blood and blood components for hepatitis B and C (as well as HIV and syphilis) and to promote the use of the hepatitis B vaccine. Safer sex practices, including minimizing the number of partners and using barrier protective measures (condoms), also protect against transmission.

Demand safe injections

Approximately, two million people a year contract hepatitis from unsafe injections. These infections can be averted through the use of sterile syringes that are specifically designed to prevent reuse.
Eliminating unnecessary injections is also an effective strategy to protect against hepatitis transmission. There are 16 billion injections administered every year. Around 5% of these injections are for immunization, a further 5% for procedures like blood transfusions and injectable contraceptives, and the remaining 90% to administer medicines. For many diseases, injections are not the first recommended course of treatment and oral medications could be used.

Be vaccinated

WHO recommends vaccinating all children against hepatitis B infection, from which approximately 780 000 people die each year. A safe and effective vaccine can protect from hepatitis B infection for life. Ideally, the vaccine should be given as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours. The birth dose should be followed by 2 or 3 doses to complete the vaccine series.
WHO also recommends vaccinating adults who are at increased risk of acquiring hepatitis B. These include people who frequently require blood or blood products (for example dialysis patients), health-care workers, people who inject drugs, household and sexual contacts of people with chronic hepatitis B, and people with multiple sexual partners.
Since 1982, over 1 billion doses of hepatitis B vaccine have been used worldwide and millions of future deaths from liver cancer and cirrhosis have been prevented. In a number of countries where around 1 in 10 children used to become chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus, vaccination has reduced the rate of chronic infection to less than 1 in 100 among immunized children. To date, there is no available vaccine against hepatitis C.

Get tested, seek treatment

Medicines are now available that can cure most people with hepatitis C and control hepatitis B infection. People who receive these medicines are much less likely to die from liver cancer and cirrhosis and much less likely to transmit the virus to others. WHO therefore urges people who think they might have been exposed to hepatitis to get tested so they can find out whether they need treatment to improve their own health and reduce the risk of transmission.
Earlier this year, WHO issued new guidelines for treatment of hepatitis B infection. These recommend using simple non-invasive tests to assess the stage of liver disease to help identify who needs treatment. WHO also calls for prioritizing treatment for those with cirrhosis - the most advanced stage of liver disease and for the use of two safe and highly effective medicines, tenofovir or entecavir. Continued monitoring using simple tests is important to assess whether treatment is working, and if it can be stopped.
In 2014, WHO issued guidance for testing and treatment of hepatitis C infection. WHO recommends providing testing for people considered at high risk of infection and ensuring treatment for those who have the virus with several effective medicines, including new regimens that use only oral medicines. WHO will update recommendations on drug treatments periodically as new antiviral medicines become available and as new evidence emerges.

World Hepatitis Day 2015

This year, WHO’s flagship event takes place in Egypt, a country that has one of the world’s highest hepatitis burdens. It is estimated that 10% of the ‎population between 15 and ‎‎59 years is chronically ‎infected with hepatitis C. Between 2007 and 2014, more than 350 000 people with hepatitis C have been treated. Since the introduction of newer, more effective medicines in 2014, the number of people being treated continues to increase. Today, 32 dedicated treatment centres are providing treatment at the Government’s expense.
‎Egypt is also highlighting hepatitis prevention. WHO is helping the country develop national ‎blood safety standards and has selected ‎it as one of 3 pilot ‎countries for its new Global ‎Injection Safety Initiative.‎ WHO will provide support over the next 3 years to ‎reduce unnecessary ‎injections and help transition to ‎the exclusive use of syringes ‎that can only be used once.

Global momentum to tackle hepatitis

‎In September this year, countries will have the opportunity to share best practice at the first-ever World Hepatitis Summit to be held in Glasgow, Scotland. The summit, which is co-sponsored by WHO, the Scottish Government and the World Hepatitis Alliance, aims to raise the global profile of viral hepatitis, to create a platform for exchange of country experiences and to focus on working with countries to develop national action plans.

Note to editors

In addition to hepatitis B and C, hepatitis A and E viruses also cause viral hepatitis. These two viruses are primarily transmitted through contact with contaminated food and water and are responsible for less than 1% of all hepatitis-related deaths.
For more information, please contact:
Christian Lindmeier
Communications Officer
Telephone: + 41 22 791 1948
Mobile: + 41 79 500 6552
Email: lindmeierch@who.int



FORUM :  World Hepatitis Day - 28 July


World Hepatitis Day is celebrated each year on 28 July. It provides an opportunity to increase awareness, education and greater understanding of viral hepatitis as a global public health problem. Viral hepatitis - a group of infectious diseases comprising the hepatitis A, B, C, D and E - affects millions of people worldwide.

The global burden of disease and mortality from viral hepatitis is high. An estimated 57% of liver cirrhosis cases and 78% of primary liver cancer cases result from hepatitis B or C viruses’ infections. In recognition of the importance of the public health problem posed by hepatitis, in 2010, the 63rd World Health Assembly designated July 28th as World Hepatitis Day and requested an integrated response in the fight against hepatitis. From then on, the PAHO and the WHO have joined efforts to establish strategies to fight hepatitis either at global and regional levels. This call to action offers an excellent opportunity to the Region of the Americas for the approach to viral hepatitis as a recognized public health problem. The commemoration of July 28th, World Hepatitis Day, can be used as starting point for many initiatives in the countries.




EVENTS : 
World Hepatitis Summit - 2-4 September - Glasgow, Scotland

The inaugural World Hepatitis Summit – Glasgow, Scotland – 2-4 September 2015
The World Hepatitis Alliance provides global leadership and supports action that will halt the viral hepatitis death toll and improve lives. Through advocacy and policy work, building capacity among our members and raising global awareness, we aim to give viral hepatitis the priority it deserves.

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The 68th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA68) took place in Geneva from 18th-26th May. On 25th May, the World Hepatitis Alliance was invited...

World Hepatitis Day 2015: Prevent hepatitis. Act now