World Hepatitis Alliance Welcomes New Global Framework Aimed at Saving the Lives of Millions Living With Hepatitis

Geneva (ots/PRNewswire) -

Alliance calls on governments to support the WHO strategy by
setting

regional targets to eradicate this killer disease

The World Hepatitis Alliance have today welcomed the launch of the
World Health Organization (WHO) framework for hepatitis as the global
patient community marks World Hepatitis Day. 'Prevention and Control
of Viral Hepatitis Infection: Framework for Global Action'[1],
provides a global vision for the prevention and control of viral
hepatitis and outlines four axes for action for regions and countries
to develop effective strategies and plans according to their specific
hepatitis burden and challenges.

"Hepatitis is closer than you think, with approximately 1 in 12
people living with either hepatitis B or C globally," said Charles
Gore, President of the Alliance. "The launch of the WHO Framework is
an essential step in the fight against this global epidemic."

The launch of the Framework comes two years after the agreement of
a historic World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution on viral hepatitis
(WHA63.18) which for the first time described what is expected of
governments to deliver improvements in awareness, surveillance,
prevention, diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis. In line with
this resolution, the WHO Secretariat established a Global Hepatitis
Programme within its Department of Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases,
with focal points in the six Regional Offices, to implement the
resolution and attain the goals outlined in the new Framework.

Continues Mr. Gore: "With the WHA resolution, and now the WHO
Framework for Action, we are gaining momentum in the fight against
hepatitis but more must be done to raise awareness of this killer
disease. The challenge for governments now is to action this new
Framework. It is critical that specific targets are set at a regional
level to ensure measurable results."

World Hepatitis Day provides an opportunity for communities all
around the world to join together to raise awareness of hepatitis and
importantly promote actions to confront it. To mark World Hepatitis
Day 2012 the Alliance has launched a global effort to attempt a
Guinness World Record highlighting the huge under-diagnosis of
hepatitis. The aim is to have the most people performing the "see no
evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" actions in 24 hours at multiple
venues around the world. Countries currently participating in the
record attempt include: Germany, Australia, New Zealand, United
Kingdom, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Malaysia, India, Romania, China,
Ukraine, Canada and Japan. There is also a See No Evil, Hear No Evil,
Speak No Evil twitter campaign (#seehearspeakno) which encourages
people to tweet a picture of themselves performing one of the three
gestures (or a group of three people performing all three), with the
photo being added to a growing online photography album.

Approximately 500 million people are living with either hepatitis
B or hepatitis C worldwide. 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.
Together, hepatitis B and C kill approximately one million people
every year.

World Hepatitis Alliance

The World Hepatitis Alliance provides global leadership and
supports action that will halt the death toll and improve the lives
of people living with chronic viral hepatitis B and C. Through better
awareness, prevention, care, support and access to treatment, our
ultimate goal is to work with governments to eradicate these diseases
from the planet.

The World Hepatitis Alliance is a Non-Governmental Organisation
with over 140 member patient organisations in more than 60 countries.
The World Hepatitis Alliance is governed by a board consisting
entirely of hepatitis B or C patients and elected by patient groups
from the six WHO world regions: Africa, the Americas, Eastern
Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia and Western Pacific. For
further information visit: http://www.worldhepatitisalliance.org

World Hepatitis Alliance - Seeking a world without viral hepatitis
B and C.

World Hepatitis Day

On 28 July 2012, the World Hepatitis Alliance will coordinate the
fifth global World Hepatitis Day. World Hepatitis Day is one of only
four official world disease awareness days endorsed by the World
Health Organisation (WHO) and its 194 member states. The aim for 2012
is to continue to raise awareness of chronic hepatitis B and C around
the globe and to drive policy change for improvements in health
outcomes for patients through the campaign 'This is hepatitis... it's
closer than you think'. The theme builds on the previous year's
campaign theme 'This is hepatitis... Know it. Confront it. Hepatitis
affects everyone, everywhere.'

References

1. World Health Organization. Prevention and Control of Viral
Hepatitis Infection: Framework for Global Action. Published July
2012. Available at:
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/hepatitis/Framework/en/index.html

Rückfragehinweis:
For further information or to speak to a World Hepatitis Alliance
spokesperson: Karine or Katy, T: +44(0)207-378-0159, E:
[email protected]

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