Hep Headlines
headlines
hep
Hepatitis is regularly
making the news
thanks to the efforts
of WHA members.
Here are a few
highlights.
Gavi Prioritises Hepatitis B
Birth Dose
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has
approved an investment in the
hepatitis B birth dose vaccination
as part of its Vaccine Investment
Strategy. One of six new and
expanded vaccine programmes,
the hepatitis B birth dose will
prevent chronic cases of hepatitis
B infection, which develops in up
to 90% of infants infected with
HBV at birth or in the first year of
life.
Gavi’s Board made the decision
to prioritise the hepatitis B birth
dose during a two-day meeting to
shape the organisation’s strategic
approach for the period 2021-
2025.
Read more at ww.gavi.org/library/
news/press-releases/2018/gavi-
board-starts-framing-alliance-s-
approach-to-2021-2025-period/
4 hep Voice December 2018
AASLD Strengthens its
Relationship with Patient
Groups
The Liver Meeting 2018, held in
San Fransico in November,
saw the leadership of the
American Association for the
Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)
host a patient advocacy meeting
to explore ways in which AASLD
can work closer with patient
organisations.
WHA President, Michael Ninburg,
and Executive Board Member, Dr.
Su Wang, spoke at the meeting
about how WHA has coordinated
patient and medical profesional
interaction through advocacy
work.
Read more about the issues
raised by patient advocates at
the meeting and the agreed next
steps: www.aasldnews.org/aasld-
deepens-its-relationship-with-
patient-groups/
Hepatitis C Re-infection Rate
Low in People with High-risk
Behavior
The results of a large population-
based study in Canada have shown
that the overall number of people
re-infected with hepatitis C after
effective treatment with direct-
acting agents (DAAs) was low.
The study therefore provides
further evidence in support of
offering high-risk populations
widespread treatment.
Naveed Janjua, PhD, a senior
scientist with the British Columbia
Centre for Disease Control said
that delivering treatment quickly
to people with hepatitis C who
display high-risk behaviour was
essential to reducing the passing
on of hepatitis C to others and to
eliminating the disease. Janjua
also commented that unlike with
Interferon, side effects are rare
with DAAs and compliance with
long-term treatment programmes
is not an issue.
Read more at www.
medpagetoday.com/reading-
room/aga/lower-gi/76361?fbclid=
IwAR2ayQd41JBg8M0WSAq0pVm
PcNajhYf-
Hepatitis B Prevalence Rate
drops in Uganda
Uganda’s State minister for
Primary Health Care, Dr Joyce
Moriku Kaducu, has announced
that there has been almost a 6 per
cent drop in hepatitis B prevalence
in the country, where more than
four million Ugandans are living
with the disease.
The decline from 10.3 per cent
to 4.5 per cent prevalence is
attributed to a large-scale
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hepatitis related
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vaccination and treatment
programme against the
disease.
Read more at www.monitor.
co.ug/News/National/
Hepatitis-B-prevalence-rate-
drops/688334-4836884-
f0au5/index.html
Hepatitis C Cure,
Sofosbuvir, Turns 5 Years
Old
People living with hepatitis C,
access to medicines activists,
and the medical community
around the world are
“marking” the fifth birthday
of the first all-oral, one dose
per day cure sofosbuvir
(Sovaldi®), launched by Gilead
Sciences in 2013.
A global hepatitis C coalition
has released a fact sheet
revealing treatment barriers
that have resulted in only
1.85 million of the 71 million
people worldwide who
need treatment, receiving
the sofosbuvir-based drugs,
largely due to pricing, patents
and registration delays.
Read more about the
campaign at
http://www.
treatmentactiongroup.org/
content/hepatitis-cure-
sofosbuvir-turns-5-majority-
people-still-not-treated
dates for
the diary
Upcoming events and activities
taking place in the coming
months.
28-30 january 2019
HepHIV Conference, Bucharest
THepHIV aims to provide an overview of innovative initiatives
and best practices on optimal testing and earlier care for HIV and
viral hepatitis from different settings across Europe, including
progress and challenges in the integration of service, sustain
and fuel the political discussion of testing policies, increase
political commitment and public awareness by discussing how
to translate global and regional goals, objectives and targets into
local implementation plans, and provide opportunities for multi-
stakeholder dialogue to develop creative solutions to unresolved
challenges in research and implementation of HIV and viral
hepatitis, TB and STI policies and programmes to improve early
diagnosis and care.
4 february 2019
World Cancer Day
Each year on 4 February, World Cancer Day empowers all of us
across the world to show support, raise our collective voice, take
personal action and pressure our governments to do more. World
Cancer Day is the only day on the global health calendar where we
can all unite and rally under one banner in a positive and inspiring
way.
hep Voice
November 2018 5