World Hepatitis Day
Encyclopedia
World Hepatitis Day, observed July 28, aims to raise global awareness of hepatitis B and hepatitis C
and encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Approximately 500 million people worldwide have either hepatitis B or hepatitis C. This represents 1 in 12 people, and was the basis for the 2008 World Hepatitis Day Am I Number 12? campaign. If left untreated and unmanaged, hepatitis B or C can lead to advanced liver scarring (cirrhosis
) and other complications, including liver cancer
or liver failure
. Every year 1.5 million people die from either hepatitis B or C.
World Hepatitis Day has been led by the World Hepatitis Alliance since 2007 and on May 2010, it got global endorsement from the World Health Organization.
In 2007 the World Hepatitis Alliance was formed to unite worldwide hepatitis B and hepatitis C patient groups and bring more public and political[4] attention to the issue of viral hepatitis.
With input of its members (organisations from around the world working in the field of hepatitis), the newly titled World Hepatitis Day was switched to May 19, and launched with the campaign slogan 'Am I Number 12?' in 2008. ‘Am I Number 12?’ referred to the worldwide statistic that 1 in 12 people are living with viral hepatitis B or hepatitis C[6], and the slogan was translated into 40 different languages for use by patient organisations worldwide, and also displayed in banner form on several public landmarks.
'Am I number 12' was maintained as the theme for the 2009 World Hepatitis Day, with many alliance members also creating a hepatitis themed '12 asks of government'.
In 2010 the third annual World Hepatitis Day was held, with a new theme of 'This is hepatitis' given prominence. This is hepatitis gave a renewed focus to the human stories behind viral hepatitis.. 'This is Hepatitis' will be retained as the theme for 2011.
Following the adoption of a viral hepatitis resolution during the 63rd World Health Assembly in May 2010, World Hepatitis Day was given global endorsement as the primary focus for national and international awareness-raising efforts and the date was changed to July 28 (in honour of Nobel Laureate Prof. Blumberg, discoverer of the hepatitis B virus, who celebrates his birthday on that date). The resolution resolves that:
"1. 28 July shall be designated as World Hepatitis Day in order to provide
an opportunity for education and greater understanding of viral hepatitis as a global public
health problem, and to stimulate the strengthening of preventive and control measures of this
disease in Member States;"
World Hepatitis Day
World Hepatitis Day provides an opportunity to focus on specific actions such as:
Strengthening prevention, screening and control of viral hepatitis and its related diseases;
Increasing hepatitis B vaccine coverage and integration into national immunization programmes; and
Coordinating a global response to hepatitis.
Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E can cause acute and chronic infection and inflammation of the liver leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
These viruses constitute a major global health risk with around 350 million people being chronically infected with hepatitis B and around 170 million people being chronically infected with hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
and encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Approximately 500 million people worldwide have either hepatitis B or hepatitis C. This represents 1 in 12 people, and was the basis for the 2008 World Hepatitis Day Am I Number 12? campaign. If left untreated and unmanaged, hepatitis B or C can lead to advanced liver scarring (cirrhosis
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
) and other complications, including liver cancer
Liver cancer
Liver tumors or hepatic tumors are tumors or growths on or in the liver . Several distinct types of tumors can develop in the liver because the liver is made up of various cell types. These growths can be benign or malignant...
or liver failure
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
. Every year 1.5 million people die from either hepatitis B or C.
World Hepatitis Day has been led by the World Hepatitis Alliance since 2007 and on May 2010, it got global endorsement from the World Health Organization.
History
The inaugural International Hepatitis C Awareness day, coordinated by various European and Middle Eastern Patient Groups, took place October 1 2004, however many patient groups continued to mark 'hepatitis day' on disparate dates.In 2007 the World Hepatitis Alliance was formed to unite worldwide hepatitis B and hepatitis C patient groups and bring more public and political[4] attention to the issue of viral hepatitis.
With input of its members (organisations from around the world working in the field of hepatitis), the newly titled World Hepatitis Day was switched to May 19, and launched with the campaign slogan 'Am I Number 12?' in 2008. ‘Am I Number 12?’ referred to the worldwide statistic that 1 in 12 people are living with viral hepatitis B or hepatitis C[6], and the slogan was translated into 40 different languages for use by patient organisations worldwide, and also displayed in banner form on several public landmarks.
'Am I number 12' was maintained as the theme for the 2009 World Hepatitis Day, with many alliance members also creating a hepatitis themed '12 asks of government'.
In 2010 the third annual World Hepatitis Day was held, with a new theme of 'This is hepatitis' given prominence. This is hepatitis gave a renewed focus to the human stories behind viral hepatitis.. 'This is Hepatitis' will be retained as the theme for 2011.
Following the adoption of a viral hepatitis resolution during the 63rd World Health Assembly in May 2010, World Hepatitis Day was given global endorsement as the primary focus for national and international awareness-raising efforts and the date was changed to July 28 (in honour of Nobel Laureate Prof. Blumberg, discoverer of the hepatitis B virus, who celebrates his birthday on that date). The resolution resolves that:
"1. 28 July shall be designated as World Hepatitis Day in order to provide
an opportunity for education and greater understanding of viral hepatitis as a global public
health problem, and to stimulate the strengthening of preventive and control measures of this
disease in Member States;"
World Hepatitis Day
World Hepatitis Day provides an opportunity to focus on specific actions such as:
Strengthening prevention, screening and control of viral hepatitis and its related diseases;
Increasing hepatitis B vaccine coverage and integration into national immunization programmes; and
Coordinating a global response to hepatitis.
Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E can cause acute and chronic infection and inflammation of the liver leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
These viruses constitute a major global health risk with around 350 million people being chronically infected with hepatitis B and around 170 million people being chronically infected with hepatitis C.
The Theme
| Date | Name | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| 1 October 2004 | International Hepatitis C Awareness Day | "You have company" |
| 1 October 2005 | World Hepatitis C Awareness Day | "Hepatitis C - A Priority Today" |
| 1 October 2006 | World Hepatitis Awareness Day | "Get tested" |
| 1 October 2007 | World Hepatitis Awareness Day | "Get tested" |
| 19 May 2008 | World Hepatitis Day | "Am I number 12?" |
| 19 May 2009 | World Hepatitis Day | "Am I number 12?" |
| 19 May 2010 | World Hepatitis Day | "This is hepatitis" |
| 28 July 2011 | World Hepatitis Day | "This is hepatitis" |
External links
- World Hepatitis Day World Hepatitis Alliance
- World Hepatitis Day Hepatitis C Trust UK
- Viral Hepatitis Awareness --- May 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention U.S.
- Viral Hepatitis Centres for Disease Control and Prevention U.S.
- World Hepatitis Day 2008 YouTube video
- NVHR World Hepatitis Day 2009 National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
- World Hepatitis Day Podcast The Naked ScientistsThe Naked ScientistsThe Naked Scientists is a one-hour audience-interactive science radio talk show broadcast live by the BBC in the East of England, nationally by BBC Radio 5 Live and internationally as a podcast. The programme was created and is edited by Cambridge University Pathology Department clinical lecturer...
.