A short note from Dr. David Wang on World Hepatitis Day:
Every 30 seconds a person dies from Hepatitis. Today, July 28, marks World Hepatitis Day, a day to step up national and international efforts on combating hepatitis and encouraging actions and engagement by individuals, partners, and the public to highlight the need for a greater global response. Worldwide, 290 million people are living with viral hepatitis, but don’t know it. Without finding the undiagnosed and linking them to care, millions will continue to suffer, and lives will be lost.1
The theme for World Hepatitis Day 2021 is “HEP can’t wait” – highlighting the urgency with which we all need to act on hepatitis. The World Health Organization and the World Hepatitis Alliance have outlined some essential examples which showcase the need for swift action on this issue:
- People living with viral hepatitis unaware can’t wait for testing
- People living with hepatitis can’t wait for life saving treatments
- Expectant mothers can’t wait for hepatitis screening and treatment
- New-born babies can’t wait for birth dose vaccination
- People affected by hepatitis can’t wait to end stigma and discrimination
- Community organisations can’t wait for more significant investment.
The good news is that a hepatitis free future is a possibility, and through a combination of testing and treatment, it is possible to achieve the global elimination goal by 2030.2 At UnitedHealthcare Global, we believe that preventative healthcare is the best route to a healthier world, so we encourage you to visit the World Hepatitis Day website to learn more about the disease and how you can get involved to raise awareness of this widespread condition: https://www.worldhepatitisday.org/campaign-activations/#sign-the-pledge - Dr. David Wang, Associate Medical Director APAC, Global Solutions
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Resources:
1 https://www.worldhepatitisday.org/#2021--theme:-hepatitis-can't-wait-
2 https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hepatitis-day