Category FAQs Search : Health
Question: WHO response on Hepatitis A
Answer: In May 2016, The World Health Assembly adopted the first “Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis, 2016-2021”. The strategy highlights the critical role of Universal Health Coverage and the targets of the strategy are aligned with those of the Sustainable Development Goals. The strategy has a vision of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health problem and this is encapsulated in the global targets of reducing new viral hepatitis infections by 90% and reducing deaths due to viral hepatitis by 65% by 2030. Actions to be taken by countries and WHO Secretariat to reach these targets are outlined in the strategy.
To support countries in moving towards achieving the global hepatitis goals under the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 WHO is working in the following areas:
raising awareness, promoting partnerships and mobilizing resources;
formulating evidence-based policy and data for action;
preventing transmission; and
scaling up screening, care and treatment services.
WHO published the "Progress report on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, 2019", outlining its progress towards elimination. The report sets out global statistics on viral hepatitis B and C, the rate of new infections, the prevalence of chronic infections and mortality caused by these 2 high-burden viruses, as well as coverage of key interventions, all current as at the end of 2016 and 2017.
Since 2011, together with national governments, civil society and partners, WHO has organized annual World Hepatitis Day campaigns (as 1 of its 9 flagship annual health campaigns) to increase awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis. The date of 28 July was chosen because it is the birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Bloomberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus.
For World Hepatitis Day 2019, WHO is focusing on the theme "Invest in eliminating hepatitis" to highlight the need for increased domestic and international funding to scale up hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment services, in order to achieve the 2030 elimination targets.
(Source: World Health Organization (WHO), 20 Feb 2020)
Source Link: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-a