World Hepatitis Day: July 28, 2024: Theme for the year: “It is time for Action”:
What is Viral Hepatitis?
Viral hepatitis — a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E — affects millions of people worldwide. Viral hepatitis is a serious, preventable public health threat that puts people who are infected at increased risk for liver disease, cancer, and death. It is one of the most deadly and neglected diseases and health crises – one that is claiming a life every 30 seconds. Globally, more than 300 million people are living with hepatitis, and more than 1.3 million lives are lost each year to hepatitis B and C. However, we do have the tools to eliminate the disease by 2030
It is estimated that 3.3 million Americans are living with chronic viral hepatitis: 862,000 with hepatitis B and 2.4 million with hepatitis C. Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are preventable by vaccines, and hepatitis C is curable in one short course of treatment. Despite this, the nation faces unprecedented hepatitis. Low coverage of testing and treatment is the most important gap and has worsened further during the pandemic of Covid-19. It needs to be addressed to achieve the global elimination goals by 2030. Asians in particular are highly vulnerable compared to everyone else with hepatitis, particularly hepatitis B in the USA compared to all other ethnicities.
World Hepatitis Day: 28th July
World Hepatitis Day (WHD) is July 28th. The date was chosen to honor Nobel Laureate Baruch Samuel Blumberg (called Berry) who discovered the hepatitis B virus and was born on 28 July 1925. His contribution is way more than the Nobel Prize that he received.
Jonathan Chernoff, the scientific director at the Fox Chase Cancer Center where Blumberg spent most of his working life said, “I think it’s fair to say that Barry prevented more cancer deaths than any person who’s ever lived.” In reference to Blumberg’s discovery of the Hepatitis B vaccine, former NASA administrator Daniel Goldin said, “Our planet is an improved place as a result of Barry’s few short days in residence.
“It is time for Action”: Theme for the World Hepatitis Day: July 28, 2024
Hepatitis is now the world’s deadliest virus, after COVID-19. For World Hepatitis Day 2024, World Hepatitis Alliance, World Health Organization and our 337 members in 102 countries are calling for action to end this entirely preventable disease. There are over 2 million new cases of hepatitis every year. Hepatitis B and C together kill over 1.3 million lives every year, and the new data suggests that this figure is rising. This is unacceptable. We must prevent them.
It’s time for action
Leaders. It’s time for action. Lead the conversation to prioritize eliminating hepatitis by 2030. We have the tools, now we need your influence.
Politicians. It’s time for action. Learn about hepatitis. Read up on the data. Commit to policies. Fund its elimination.
Doctors. It’s time for action. Test. Treat. Vaccinate. Healthcare professionals also have a huge role to play in tackling hepatitis stigma and discrimination.
Communities. It’s time for action. Use your collective voices to raise awareness of hepatitis and encourage everyone where you live to get tested.
What do we want to achieve on this World Hepatitis Day?
We aim to unite the global community to demand action from decision makers to prioritize the elimination of viral hepatitis.
We aim to:
- To raise awareness of viral hepatitis
- Communicate the urgent need for action on hepatitis now
- Reveal the social injustice caused by the lack of action on viral hepatitis
- Raise the voices of the people and communities affected by viral hepatitis to demand positive action and fight stigma
- Call on policymakers, decision makers and global funders to join the fight to eliminate hepatitis
Why is World Hepatitis Day important?
Hepatitis B infection is 10 times more common than HIV and 50 to 100 times more infectious than HIV. Viral hepatitis is one of the leading causes of death globally. Viral hepatitis is not found in one location nor amongst one set of people. It is a truly global epidemic that can affect millions of people without them even being aware. It is a known cause of liver cancer that can be prevented. Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, the rate of acute hepatitis B cases increased 11% from 2014 (0.9 per 100,000) to 2018 (1.0 per 100,000). The rate of infection increased even more dramatically in states hardest hit by the opioid crisis. Injection drug use (IDU) and sexual transmission are risk factors associated with rising acute hepatitis B cases in the United States.
In 2022, 13% of the people suffering from hepatitis B infection were aware of their infection and only 3% were on treatment, globally as reported by the World Health Organization. This is unacceptable and calls for action now!
Why is Hepatitis Knowledge and Action more important for Asians in the USA?
- One in 12 Asians American has Hepatitis B against 1 in 1000 White Americans.
- Of total population Asians are 5% but of total Hepatitis cases Asians are 50%!
- Asian American born outside USA are 20 times more likely to have Hepatitis B than those borne in USA
- Asians are 13 times more likely to develop liver cancer and are more likely to die from Hepatitis B related causes compared with any other group.
- CDC data in the figure above show new cases developed are also almost 12 times higher in API community as compared to white, non hispanic population in the year 2020.
What Preventive Actions Can We Take?
- Get educated and then educate others about Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
- Get tested for HBV and HBC. Get correct interpretation from experts about the test results. It is not very simple like test positive and negative. The test will guide you to know whether you are protected, you need vaccination or you need to get treatment.
- Get protected with HBV vaccine if you require vaccination.
- Hepatitis B has no treatment for cure. Prevention is the only way forward.
- Hepatitis C if diagnosed early can be completely cured with medicines.
At Asian Pacific Community in Action, we are committed to protect the health of Asian Americans in Arizona and help the community to get awareness of hepatitis B, assist them in getting tested and educate them of their rights and eligibility for getting tested for HBV. We help them to find a health insurance and health care provider in all the sectors of their socio-economic conditions and assist them for their better health care.
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