Every year on July 28th, HepVu joins viral hepatitis organizations in the U.S. and around the world in recognizing World Hepatitis Day. This awareness day serves as an opportunity to highlight the continued global burden of viral hepatitis despite the options that exist for vaccination, testing, care, and in the case of hepatitis C, cure.
This year, viral hepatitis stakeholders recognize the theme of “We’re Not Waiting” for the international observance. “We’re not waiting” is a call to action. It’s a call to accelerate viral hepatitis elimination efforts and the urgent need for providing prevention, testing and treatment for the people who need it.
Many people living with viral hepatitis are not able to access effective medical care due to financial barriers, social stigma, bureaucratic “red tape”, or lack of easily accessible services (geographic service deserts). These obstacles significantly hinder the ability for the world to eliminate viral hepatitis, as many countries pledged to do by 2030.
This year, HepVu will be shining a spotlight on Hepatitis B around the globe. Worldwide, Hepatitis B is much more widespread than Hepatitis C, and undiagnosed and untreated hepatitis B is a major cause of liver cancer. Approximately 1 in 30 people worldwide were living with chronic Hepatitis B, which causes over 60% of liver cancer cases. As part of this focus, HepVu spoke with Dr. Samuel So at the Stanford University School of Medicine about global Hepatitis B elimination efforts.
To learn more about elimination of viral hepatitis, explore HepVu’s resources:
- Visualize the Hepatitis C epidemic stratified by age, sex, and race on HepVu’s interactive maps.
- Find available viral hepatitis testing and care services near you with HepVu’s service locators.
- Read expert-led Q&As on the importance of viral hepatitis elimination:
- Share our infographics with your networks to raise awareness.
