World Hepatitis Day educates people about viral hepatitis and the importance of prevention, testing, and treatment. Here’s all you need to know, from topic to date.
Every year on 28 July, World Hepatitis Day is commemorated to promote awareness of viral hepatitis and its impact on world health. The day’s goal is to raise awareness about hepatitis prevention, testing, and treatment, as well as to offer support for people impacted by the disease. The alarming statistics indicating that someone dies from hepatitis or other related disorders every 30 seconds throughout the world highlight the need for this awareness campaign. Viral hepatitis is a silent disease that claims countless lives each year. The purpose of World Hepatitis Day is to raise public awareness of the disease and the actions that must be done to improve viral hepatitis prevention, screening, and control efforts.
When is World Hepatitis Day observed?
Every year on July 28, World Hepatitis Day is commemorated with the primary goal of raising global awareness of hepatitis.
The Theme of World Hepatitis Day 2023
The goal of World Hepatitis Day is to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, and this year’s theme is ‘One life, one liver.’ Every year, the day focuses on a different subject in order to increase awareness of the global hepatitis situation and inspire constructive action. Diverse activities, including as campaigns, seminars, and talks, invite global involvement in order to educate people about the condition and create a healthy future.
The Origins of World Hepatitis Day
World Hepatitis Day, which was first marked on May 19, was relocated to July 28 in 2010. In 2008, the World Hepatitis Alliance, which was founded in 2007, organized the inaugural community-driven World Hepatitis Day. The World Health Assembly voted to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg, the American physician who is credited with discovering Hepatitis B in the 1960s. On July 28, World Hepatitis Day serves as an opportunity to strengthen national and worldwide efforts to combat hepatitis, promoting action and participation from individuals, partners, and the general public.
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It emphasizes the need for a more robust global response, as indicated in the World Health Organization’s 2017 Global Hepatitis Report. The chosen date of July 28 coincides with Dr. Baruch Blumberg’s birthday, who made seminal contributions to hepatitis research by finding the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and inventing a diagnostic test and vaccination for the virus. Addressing the large gap in testing and treatment coverage is critical to meeting the worldwide hepatitis eradication targets by 2030.
The Importance of World Hepatitis Day
The purpose of World Hepatitis Day is to raise public awareness of viral hepatitis and its consequences for public health. On this day, communities, individuals, and politicians may learn about the many types of hepatitis, as well as prevention measures, testing, and treatment options. It encourages global activism and collaboration in the battle against the growing number of hepatitis-related illnesses and deaths. World Hepatitis Day is critical for encouraging a coordinated global response and working towards the WHO’s goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a significant public health hazard by 2030 by emphasizing the importance of increased immunization, early diagnosis, and improved access to healthcare services.
