World Hepatitis Alliance calls for urgent action on epidemic

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World Hepatitis Alliance calls for urgent action on epidemic

- Shocking Lack of Global Statistics Prompts Creation of First Global

Resource on Hepatitis: The Hepatitis Atlas

Geneva, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - The World Hepatitis

Alliance, a newly formed Non-Governmental Organisation, today called

on governments around the world to do more to drive improvements in

prevention, diagnosis and treatment for people living with chronic

viral hepatitis B and C.

Although it is estimated that 500 million, approximately one in 12

people, are infected with either chronic viral hepatitis B or C

globally[1], [2], there is a serious lack of awareness and political

will to tackle these diseases.

Marking the first ever truly international World Hepatitis Day, the

World Hepatitis Alliance today launched " The Hepatitis Atlas:

Completing the Data Map " - a resource designed to become the first

global public compendium of statistics and information relating to

chronic viral hepatitis B and C. The Hepatitis Atlas has been

launched as a result of the shocking lack of up-to-date global

statistics relating to the two viruses.

Gore, President of the World Hepatitis Alliance, said the

current lack of data highlighted the need for greater surveillance at

local, national and international levels. " If this information is not

easily available, how can governments begin to tackle these diseases

that kill 1.5 million people a year? " Mr. Gore said. " Governments are

simply working in the dark and need to do more to ensure chronic

viral hepatitis B and C are high up on national and international

healthcare

agendas. "

The World Hepatitis Alliance is also asking governments to sign up to

12 Asks for 2012 aimed at combating chronic viral hepatitis B and C.

The '12 Asks' are a series of requests for commitment from policy

makers to recognise the impact of the disease and the importance of

adopting measures that address the issue from a public health

perspective.

" The challenge for viral hepatitis is to make healthcare authorities

and policy makers aware that this disease, if not tackled today, will

be a major burden in the next 20 years as today's patients will

develop liver cancer. It is better to act today than be unable to

react tomorrow, " said Professor Driss Jamil, a specialist in

hepatitis B and C at the Department of Medicine, University of

Casablanca, Morocco, and one of 12 members of the World Hepatitis

Alliance Public Health Panel.

Professor Greg Dore, Head of the Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research

Program, National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research,

University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, and also a member

of the Public Health Panel, added, " Increased awareness and

understanding of the public health impact of chronic viral hepatitis

is required to mobilise action on proven prevention and care

strategies. Awareness raising will promote advocacy, improve global

funding, and reduce the stigma and discrimination that affect many

people with chronic viral hepatitis. "

Did You Know?

-- 500 million people worldwide are currently infected with hepatitis

B or C1,2

-- This is over 10 times the number infected with HIV/AIDS

-- Between them, hepatitis B and C kill 1.5 million people a year

-- One in every three people on the planet has been exposed to either

or both viruses

-- Most of the 500 million infected do not know

World Hepatitis Day

World Hepatitis Day is being observed on Monday 19 May and marks a

brand new, entirely patient-led initiative. The day has been launched

in response to the concern that chronic viral hepatitis has nowhere

near the level of awareness nor the political will to tackle it that

is seen in HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. This is despite the fact that

the numbers chronically infected with, and annually killed by,

hepatitis B and C viruses are on the same scale.

World Hepatitis Alliance

World Hepatitis Day is being coordinated by the World Hepatitis

Alliance, a newly established Non-Governmental Organisation that

represents more than 200 hepatitis B and hepatitis C patient groups

from around the world. The World Hepatitis Alliance is governed by a

representative board of patient groups from seven world regions:

Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, North America, South

America, Australasia and Western Pacific. For more information visit

http://www.worldhepatitisday.com on Monday 19 May.

[1]World Health Organization. Hepatitis B Fact Sheet: http:/

www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs204/en/index.html (accessed May

1, 2008)

[2] Initiative for Vaccine Research, Viral Cancers, Hepatitis C.

World Health Organization, 2006. http:/

www.who.int/vaccine_research/diseases/viral_cancers/en

index2.html (accessed May 1, 2008)

SOURCE The World Hepatitis Alliance

CONTACT: The World Hepatitis Alliance,

+44-20-7395-7067,

worldhepday@...,

or +44-20-7089-6231,

raquel.jose@...

Web site: http://www.worldhepatitisday.com /