World Hepatitis Day 2013 and Hepatitis Awareness Week was very successful the world over

Health Experts and NGOs world over have urged people to act swiftly and see their general practitioner for check-up and testing hepatitis. The call came as World Hepatitis Day 2013 and Hepatitis Awareness Week in many places came to an end.

Many campaigns tried to convey the message that hepatitis is nothing to be ashamed of. The week was all about informing the people about methods to avoid catching the virus as well as advice for those who have it. The main message is prevention and not being afraid to access the services that are out here. People should go to their doctor and get tested and necessary treatments.

The Hepatitis Awareness Week had been a huge success at many places with the exposure gained through several community engagement projects. It’s been very positive. There’s been many promotional events that have gone on all over the world based on increasing the awareness of hepatitis and also advocating for people that if they have any concerns that they should see their GP.

The campaign also tried to convey the message that there are now clinics that are open in many places and they involve specialist teams of doctors, nurses and allied health staff that can help in all aspects of caring for our health.

The most important and effective way to prevent new hepatitis C transmissions was not sharing equipment used to inject drugs. Many countries are supporting this by the continued expansion of needle and syringe programs (NSPs) to ensure all people who need to access sterile injecting equipment can do so. Younger people should also avoid sharing equipment used for tattooing and body piercing, including at backyard parties and by friends, because blood-to-blood contact is also possible in these circumstances.

Even though the concerted campaign to make people aware of Hepatitis has ended but the fight will continue till the disease and its menace is eradicated from the world.

World Hepatitis Day: India joins the world in raising awareness about hepatitis

The Indian Government health departments are gearing up to observe the 6th World Hepatitis Day in association with World Health Organisation (WHO) on July 28 with an objective to raise awareness about hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

About 500 millions people worldwide are living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C. If left untreated, hepatitis B or C can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer or liver failure.

July 28 was chosen to mark the birthday of Baruch Blumberg, awarded the Nobel prize for his work in discovering the hepatitis B virus. World Hepatitis Day prompts people to think about the large-scale viral hepatitis infections globally, need to get tested and how to avoid getting infected.

On World Hepatitis Day, two themes have been selected for 2013. The first theme is: 'This is hepatitis. Know it. Confront it'. The second is: 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.'

'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' is widely recognized and refers to those who deal with problems by refusing to acknowledge them.

The idea for this year is that three wise monkeys travel the world for hepatitis awareness. Soft toy monkeys will be travelling the world this year to promote awareness about hepatitis B and C. The long-term objective of the campaign is to prevent infection and to deliver real improvement in health for people living with hepatitis B and C.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted between people through contact with the blood or other body fluids (i.e. saliva, semen and vaginal fluid) of an infected person. It is very unlikely that it can be contracted through kissing or sharing cutlery.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread through direct contact with infected blood. Very rarely it may be passed on through other body fluids although this is currently unclear.

The most common routes of transmission for hepatitis B and C virus are blood transfusion and blood products, using un-screened blood, medical and dental interventions without adequate sterilisation of equipments, mother to infant during child birth, sharing equipment for injecting drugs, sharing straws, sharing razors, tooth brushes, tongue cleaner etc.

Tattooing and body piercing through un-sterilised equipment can also lead to hepatitis. In case of hepatitis B, infection can also occur through unprotected sex with an infected person.

Indian government (both central and state) has been making efforts to spread awareness regarding factors responsible for spreading the deadly disease. Hepatitis B antigen usually appears in blood six to 12 weeks after infection and tests positive. Hepatitis C antibodies usually take seven to nine weeks to appear in the blood after infection and test positive. Immunization is the best way to prevent hepatitis B. Experts claimed that hepatitis B vaccine is effective in approximately 95% of cases. There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C, prevention is the best cure.

World Hepatitis Day: More needs to be done to fight deadly hepatitis

Hepatitis is a frequent headline-maker in media and creates lots of online chat in blogs, tweets and posts. No wonder, given that this liver disease is potentially life-threatening. Despite all this attention, getting people tested and treated is still a challenge for public-health practitioners.

As we acknowledge the annual World Hepatitis Day this Sunday, the number of infections is still of concern. One in 12 people worldwide has liver disease, and greater than three per cent, or more than 120,000 people in the province of British Columbia (B.C.), are infected with hepatitis B and/or C. Enormous strides in hepatitis-B prevention have been made in the province through the use of publicly funded vaccinations covering all children. However, hepatitis C is a different story.

There is so far no vaccine for this silent killer, which can lay dormant for decades, often only showing symptoms when much damage is done. Two-thirds of all cases are "baby boomers" born between 1945 and 1965 - people who should be in their peak earning and family raising years. Instead, many of their years are spent with increasing disabilities because of this disease.

The earlier hepatitis C is detected the sooner it can be treated and the greater the likelihood of recovery. Treatment is the start of the healing journey that for many can lead back to full, productive lives.

In March, the provincial government announced $1.5 million in one-time funding to explore ways to better address both hepatitis B and C epidemics in B.C. The government will be engaging with interested individuals and organizations from across B.C., including health-care providers, liver specialists, regional health authorities and the new First Nations' health authority, community groups and non-government organizations to develop options for improving the provincial response to viral hepatitis.

It's important that health professionals continue to emphasize that people need to be tested for hepatitis B and C, so that those diagnosed can be engaged in care and treatment.

Work at the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS has taught some very important lessons. For HIV, "treatment as prevention" improves the health of those already infected with HIV, while simultaneously reducing the risk of HIV transmission to others. This model can be adopted for hepatitis.

Applied to hepatitis C, this approach could simultaneously prevent liver disease and avert further transmission of the disease, multiplying the beneficial impact of treatment.

In order to stem the hepatitis virus in B.C., there is a need to unite the voices of affected communities, health professionals and community leaders and transform knowledge into action.

Hepatitis out break higher in Myanmar

The outbreak of hepatitis has been on the rise in Myanmar and it poses high risk in the country's people. In 2012, among the patients hospitalized in one of the leading hospitals of Myanmar, the number of patients suffered from cirrhosis of liver is the third largest among the victims suffering from cancer diseases.

The WHO describes the viruses as “major global health risk” and the main hepatitis viruses – A, B, C, D and E – can cause acute and chronic infection and inflammation of the liver, possibly leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer. The disease can occur with limited or no symptoms. Most people who are infected with the disease only know when they are in last stage.  The only way to know for certain is to get a blood test.

In Myanmar, an estimated one in 10 people suffer from chronic hepatitis B, while six million people of the Nation’s population is infectious with that disease and the cause of liver cancer rate is also increased due to hepatitis.

The hepatitis B and C virus is transmitted through contact with blood or other body fluid. In the modern age, many patients undergo blood infusion. Touching the infectious blood or not using the single-use needles cause these diseases. In the past, people feared of HIV/AIDS. Now the contagious rate of Hepatitis B and C is much higher than HIV/ AIDS.  At present, many people of age between 40 to 50 mostly suffer from cirrhosis of liver and lung cancer.

Governments all over the world urged to act against five hepatitis viruses that cause severe liver infections

On World Hepatitis Day (28 July), the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments to act against the five hepatitis viruses that can cause severe liver infections and lead to 1.4 million deaths every year.  Some of these hepatitis viruses, most notably types B and C, can also lead to chronic and debilitating illnesses such as liver cancer and cirrhosis, in addition to loss of income and high medical expenses for hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Viral hepatitis is referred to as a ‘silent epidemic’ because most persons do not realize that they are infected and, over decades, slowly progress to liver disease.  Many countries are only now realizing the magnitude of the disease burden and devising ways to address it.

The fact that many hepatitis B and C infections are silent, causing no symptoms until there is severe  damage to the liver, points to the urgent need for universal access to immunization, screening, diagnosis and antiviral therapy.

This year, in the run up to World Hepatitis Day, the Organization is releasing its first-ever country hepatitis survey, covering 126 countries. The WHO Global policy report on the prevention and control or viral hepatitis in WHO Member States identifies successes as well as gaps at country level in the implementation of four priority areas.  The priority areas are raising awareness, evidence-based data for action, prevention of transmission, and screening, care and treatment.

The findings show that 37% of the countries have national strategies for viral hepatitis, and more work is needed in treating hepatitis.  It also highlights that while most of the countries (82%) have established hepatitis surveillance programmes, only half of them include the monitoring of chronic hepatitis B and C, which are responsible for most severe illnesses and deaths. 

Many of the measures needed to prevent the spread of viral hepatitis disease can be put in place right now and, and doing so will offset the heavy economic costs of treating and hospitalizing patients in future. The findings underline the important work that is being done by governments to halt hepatitis through the implementation of WHO recommended policies and actions.

The challenges posed by hepatitis were formally acknowledged by the World Health Assembly in 2010 when, it adopted its first resolution on viral hepatitis, and called for a comprehensive approach to prevention and control. This has promoted a new era of awareness with more governments proactively working to address the disease. Reinforcing that call for action, WHO has been collaborating closely with countries and partners to build a strong global response.  As a result, the new report notes, 38% of countries observe World Hepatitis Day (an annual event that began in 2010) with even more countries expected to mark the day this year.

World Hepatitis Day: Know it, Confront it

Hepatitis is basically a condition in which your liver gets swollen with the inflammation of the liver cells. Liver, the largest gland in the human body helps in the digestion of food, storing energy and vitamins (A, D, K and B12), producing hormones and cholesterol and also helps in removing poisons from the body but hepatitis is a medical condition in which your liver stops working well and can also lead to cirrhosis or even cancer.

Hepatitis is mainly of 5 types which, are caused by virus A, B, C, D and E but mostly the liver damage is caused by the 3 main viruses that are A, B and C.

Hepatitis A is caused by infections usually the infection of food or water (infected by Hepatitis A virus or HAV). Another cause of Hepatitis A is the Anal-oral sex contact. Anyway, anyone who is affected by HAV can be fully recovered.

Hepatitis B is mainly caused due to the sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Caused due to the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) spreads through the contact of infected blood, semen or other body fluids. Unprotected sex, use of infected needles or syringes and feeding of an infected mother's milk can be a few reasons of its spreading. HBV can lead to cancer and a person can face serious damage to his liver.

Hepatitis C is mostly spread due to the direct contact with the blood of an infected person. The chances of having a liver cancer risks only in people who have cirrhosis.

Another point to be noted is that the misuse of anesthesia can also lead to the transmission of Hepatitis A, B and C.

Therefore, to spread this information and to enlighten awareness in the world, The World Hepatitis Day (WHD) is celebrated every year on the 28th of July and this year Hepatitis Day will celebrate its 6th anniversary.

Chronic hepatitis B or C affects more than 500 million people in the world and this number is much more than the Cancer or HIV patients but the awareness about the same is extremely low. This day was launched by World Hepatitis Alliance in 2008 and in 2010 WHO passed resolution WHA63.18 making the efforts of raising awareness, official.

"This is Hepatitis. Know it. Confront it." : According to facts, 1.4 million people in the world are infected by hepatitis A, approximately another 2 billion by hepatitis B and around 150 million more with Hepatitis C. In India, around 4% of the total population is infected by Hepatitis B and around 1% with Hepatitis C. The monotony is that most of them are unaware. Hepatitis is treatable but only after you are aware that you are infected by it and therefore it is very necessary to spread awareness. Get vaccinated and protect yourself. Know it! confront it!

See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil: Hepatitis is being ignored worldwide. Though it is more widespread than Cancer and HIV worldwide, people are still unaware about it. The main focus of this theme is to spread the awareness of Hepatitis in the world.

To generate worldwide participation in this theme, two major events are being conducted across the planet,

"Attempt to break the Guinness world record": Last year on 28th July, World Hepatitis Alliance made a World record with the maximum number of people performing 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' in 24 hours at various venues. 12,588 people performed from around 42 venues to create awareness of Hepatitis. Around 20 countries were a part of this last year and this year, they are hoping to break their own record and trying to double that number of countries. They are open for anybody and everybody willing to participate. They also want people to set up their own events in the part of the world where they live.

"Three wise monkeys travel the world for Hepatitis Awareness": To promote this theme, the World Hepatitis Alliance has come out with a unique idea of setting up exclusive set of toys, "Three Wise Monkeys". The set of monkeys will travel across the world spreading hepatitis awareness. The organization will be giving one set of these monkeys at each of their member organizations and any of us can also buy these monkey toys. How will we get involved by buying the monkey toys? After we have bought the set of monkey toys, we will then be told to go to the famous sites like the parliament house or other sites of national monuments and click pictures of them with the monkey toys. They will then put these pictures on their exclusive website where a map will also locate the travel journey of these different monkey toys. Our monkeys will wear customized t-shirts with the country flag's logo on it and we will also receive a certificate for their adoption. This is a very creative way of highlighting and spreading the awareness of Hepatitis around the world.

The 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' is a very unique way of spreading awareness about Hepatitis and all of us can contribute and participate in it on our own levels by gathering the college students within the college.

One out of 12 people in the World are affected by Hepatitis. Lets join in with the World Hepatitis Alliance and be a part of their creative ideas of spreading Hepatitis Awareness.

Bollywood Actor Jackie Shroff launches hepatitis awareness drive in India

Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff kicked of an hepatitis awareness drive and called for greater awareness of the killer disease and urged people to take it seriously.

It is a serious issue and he requested everyone to participate in the cause as there is very limited awareness about Hepatitis. People should know about it so that they will be careful about it. The actor launched an email and SMS campaign as part of the build-up to the World Hepatitis Day next Sunday (July 28).

He kicked off the campaign by sending an email to state Health Minister with a message that calls for "Knowing, Confronting & Eradicating Hepatitis".

The email and SMS campaign precedes a virtual chain four days prior to a human chain at Chowpatty next Saturday and is an initiative of National Liver Foundation (NLF), a non-government organisation dedicated to creating awareness about hepatitis.

NLF founder-trustee said that together, hepatitis B & Hepatitis C represent a major global health threat, particularly in India.

Hepatitis is contracted through blood-to-blood contact and are 'silent' viruses and many people feel no symptoms for years even if they are infected. If ignored, it can lead to cirrhosis with life-threatening implications.

When diagnosis is made too late, the only options is a liver transplant and NLF urged those people within the risk categories to undergo medical tests on priority.

Malta launches Hepatitis Awareness Campaign

Malta Ministry of Health launched “This is Hepatitis! Know it! Confront it!, Time for Action! Protect the New Generation” campaign in the run-up to World Hepatitis Day on 28 July.

World Hepatitis Day is an annual international event focusing on patient groups and on people living with hepatitis B and C.

It is an opportunity where health professionals can raise awareness and influence real changes in disease prevention and access to testing and treatment.

The World Hepatitis Alliance first launched World Hepatitis Day in 2008 as chronic viral hepatitis did not receive the level of awareness nor the political priority which was often seen with other communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Such actions aid in the prevention of Hepatitis transmission and advocate more screening, care and accessible treatment.

Hepatitis means the inflammation of the liver. One of the most common causes of chronic hepatitis is a viral infection. Hepatitis B and C are two such viruses that together kill approximately one million people a year. There are about 500 million people around the world who are currently infected with chronic hepatitis B or C and one in three people have been exposed to one or both viruses.

Hepatitis B carriage in the Maltese population is estimated at around 1-2%. The majority of cases with Hepatitis C occur in persons who share needles of drug abuse. Many infected people do not know that they have Hepatitis thus they are at high risk of developing liver failure and chronic liver disease and can transmit it to others. Unlike hepatitis C, hepatitis B can be prevented through effective vaccination.

The Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate is encouraging people to learn more about hepatitis and test themselves if they feel they are at risk.

Leaflets and posters will be distributed to substantiate the lectures given in various settings.

Social media will be utilised to enhance awareness while adverts promoting the message of “Know it, confront it, time for action and protect the new generation” will be displayed in bus shelters and places of entertainment.

Through the various media the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate will be able to reach people from different areas and strata in the population to increase awareness and encourage early testing and treatment to prevent possibly fatal complications.