World Hepatitis Day 2016

JOIN US FOR WORLD HEPATITIS DAY 2016 held on the 28th July
The theme for this year’s global campaign is ELIMINATION.

The National Wellbeing Service supports and promotes World Hepatitis Day 2016.

2016 is a pivotal year for viral hepatitis. At the World Health Assembly in May, WHO Member States are set to adopt the first ever Elimination Strategy for Viral Hepatitis, with ambitious targets and a goal to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. This will be the first time national governments sign up and commit to the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis.

To mark this historic moment and to leverage this political commitment, we are using the theme of elimination for WHD 2016, which can be easily adapted for local use; to achieve elimination, greater awareness, increased diagnosis and key interventions including universal vaccination, blood and injection safety, harm reduction and treatment are all needed. This means every activity that addresses viral hepatitis is a step towards elimination. In other words, no matter what your plans are to mark WHD, be it a rally or press briefing or screening events, they can all come under the theme of elimination.

To elevate the theme of elimination NOhep, a global elimination movement, will be launched to bring people together and provide a platform for people to speak out, be engaged and take action to ensure global commitments are met and viral hepatitis is eliminated by 2030.

In order to achieve the NOhep objective of reaching 300 million by 2030, we need your help. Whether you do something as large as launching NOhep on WHD in your country or as simple as signing up to the movement, every action has an impact. Join us and be part of making the elimination of viral hepatitis our next greatest achievement.

1. SIGN UP: Log on to NOhep.org to sign up to the movement. Please note that NOhep.org will be officially launched on 28 July

What is NOhep?
NOhep is a global movement aimed at uniting the hepatitis community and beyond to take action, to speak
out and be engaged to ensure global commitments are met and viral hepatitis is eliminated by 2030.

Why is NOhep important?
Viral hepatitis is a global killer, which claims the lives of 1.4 million per year, more than HIV/AIDs or malaria.
It’s often a misunderstood illness, commonly linked to HIV/AIDs or associated only with people who partake in
risky-behaviours. It suffers from a historic lack of political commitment and a general lack of awareness, which
negatively impacts on the lives of people living with it, from diagnosis through to gaining employment, being
educated or having a relationship. However, viral hepatitis is also unique. Unlike many other illnesses, the solution exists. With a highly effective preventative vaccine and treatment available for hepatitis B and with a cure for hepatitis C, the elimination of these cancer-causing diseases can be achieved within our lifetime.

Eliminating viral hepatitis is not just an issue for those living with the illness, but an issue which touches everyone.
By eliminating viral hepatitis we can increase economic growth, achieve social justice and save 7.1 million lives
by 2030. (See Imperial College Applied Modelling Group. Global investment case document. Unpublished report commissioned by WHO´s Global Hepatitis Programme, 2016.)

How do I get involved?
It’s simple. Go to the NOhep.org website and sign up to the movement, either as an individual or an organisation.
Secondly, share what you are doing to help eliminate viral hepatitis. Promote the nohep.factsheet. It could be telling NOhep about an awareness campaign, uploading a link to your activities, sharing a personal story or blog, or uploading photos of your activities.