Hep Headlines
headlines
hep
Hepatitis is regularly
making the news
thanks to the efforts
of WHA members.
Here are a few
highlights.
Civil Society Collaboration
with Policymakers Advances
the Viral Hepatitis Response:
An Interview with Professor
Sharon Hutchinson
In the latest instalment of
his ongoing interview series,
Professor Jeffrey Lazarus sat down
with Professor Sharon Hutchinson
to discuss her work, the role
for hepatitis patient groups in
research and advocacy, and her
vision of the future of hepatitis
treatment.
Prof. Hutchinson is a Professor
of Epidemiology and Population
Health at Glasgow Caledonian
University. She holds an honorary
appointment at Health Protection
Scotland and has over 20 years’
experience in conducting
epidemiological research. She is
using this research to inform the
design and impact of public health
interventions.
Prof. Hutchinson also leads a
4 hep Voice MARCH 2019
broad translational research
programme on the prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment of
hepatitis C and other blood-borne
viruses, and is also one of the
newest members of the Hep-CORE
Advisory Group.
Commenting on her work, Prof.
Hutchinson said:
“My research provided the
key evidence to guide a public
health response to hepatitis C in
Scotland, which culminated in the
Scottish Government investing
significantly in their Action Plan.
The evidence-based National
Plan – cited as an example of best
practice by the United Nations
Drug Policy Unit and the Global
Commission on Drugs – was the
stimulus for the World Health
Organization and the World
Hepatitis Alliance to stage the
inaugural World Hepatitis Summit
(involving governments and civil
society representatives from over
80 countries) in Glasgow in 2015.”
Read more here.
India begins National Viral
Hepatitis Control Program
(NVHCP)
New Delhi’s Minister of State for
Health, Ashwini Kumar Choubey,
launched a national programme to
eliminate viral hepatitis in Mumbai
on 24 February.
The minister launched the
National Action Plan, which
provides a strategy and framework
to bolster elimination efforts,
in the presence of Amitabh
Bachchan, a Bollywood superstar
and hepatitis B patient.
The national programme has
its origins in a consultation
that began on World Hepatitis
Day 2018 and is now part of a
sustained commitment towards
achieving SDG 3.3.
Speaking at the launch, Bachchan
commented on the adverse effects
that hepatitis has particularly
on women, and the barriers to
accessing healthcare they face:
“Discrimination against women
has been most disturbing for
me. This shouldn’t happen.
Women are half the power of the
country, they are the strength of
the country. They must be given
the respect and dignity that all
deserve… to be discriminated
[against] … just because they are
carrying hepatitis B virus is not
acceptable. I will fight for this as
long as I am alive.”
of acute hepatitis C at St Mary’s
New Hepatitis C cases down
by almost 70% in HIV-positive Hospital in London, subsequently
presenting their findings at The
men in London be reversed if we can’t re-treat
patients and we hope that soon
this might be possible through NHS
services.”
Researchers behind a new study
from Imperial College London have
suggested that regular screening
and improved access to new
treatments have contributed to
greatly reducing new cases of
hepatitis C amongst HIV positive
men in London. The researchers also suggested
that if this progress can be
maintained and replicated, London
will be on track to achieve the
targets set out by the British HIV
Association to eliminate Hepatitis C
in HIV patients by 2021.
The researchers analysed data
of 6,000 HIV-positive men at risk
Conference on Retroviruses and
Opportunistic Infections in Seattle
on 6 March.
Professor Graham Cooke, NIHR
Professor of Infectious Diseases at
Imperial College London and co-
author of the paper, stated:
“The results from our study should
give us great encouragement as we
try to eliminate Hepatitis C. There
is a risk that these gains might
Read more here.
Dates for the diary
Upcoming events and activities taking place in the coming months.
7 April
World Health Day
Universal health coverage is the key theme for this year’s World Health Day on 7 April. Universal
health coverage is integral to achieving the elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030; this year, the
main purpose of World Health Day is to help people better understand what universal health
coverage means and how people who have adequate healthcare can better advocate for equal
access to healthcare for all. The World Health Organization has created a range of communications
materials to use and you can get involved on social media by using #HealthForAll.
10-14 April
International Liver Conference (EASL 2019)
The International Liver Congress™ (ILC) brings together leading doctors and specialists from across
the world. It serves as the leading platform to exhibit best practice and science, introduce the latest
trends in hepatology, present scientific advances, offer education, and nurture networking at an
international level. Staff and representatives from WHA and NOhep will be attending, so please do
come along to say hello. You can join in the conversation on social media using #ILC2019.
Read more here
Participating in a hepatitis-related activity or have an
event planned? Email us or contact us on social media.
hep Voice
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