World Hepatitis Day

World Hepatitis Day: Prevent hepatitis. Act now

World Hepatitis Day – 28 July 2015

On World Hepatitis Day, 28 July 2015, WHO and partners will urge policy-makers, health workers and the public to act now to prevent infection and death from hepatitis.

Viral hepatitis – a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E – affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, causing acute and chronic liver disease and killing close to 1.5 million people every year, mostly from hepatitis B and C. These infections can be prevented, but most people don’t know how.

In May 2014, World Health Assembly delegates from 194 governments adopted a resolution to promote global action to prevent, diagnose, and treat viral hepatitis.

On World Hepatitis Day, events will take place around the world focussing on preventing hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

The date of 28 July was chosen for World Hepatitis Day in honour of the birthday of Nobel Laureate Professor Baruch Samuel Blumberg, discoverer of the hepatitis B virus and developer of the first hepatitis B vaccine.

The World Hepatitis Alliance has a mission to address viral hepatitis on a global scale – thus moving towards its final elimination. The National Wellbeing Service supports the Alliance.

This short video provides an overview of this year’s campaign and explains the different ways in which you or your organisation can get involved. If there is anything further we can help you with in planning your activities for World Hepatitis Day please email contact@worldhepatitisalliance.org

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