Civil Society’s important role in addressing
financial barriers to elimination
Globally 325 million people are living with
hepatitis B and hepatitis C yet, despite the fact
that the solutions to eliminate these infectious
diseases exist, efforts to implement them at
scale are only just beginning. As of May 2018,
only 82 countries reported having national
viral hepatitis plans in place. Of these only 35%
reported dedicated funding for these plans,
highlighting that financing is proving to be a
significant barrier to elimination.
WHA and partners have been working with
countries to provide the investment case
for hepatitis C elimination, showing that
elimination is not only cost-effective; it is cost
saving in the long run. Crucially, WHA is also
working collaboratively with governments to
assess how they can finance an elimination
programme. This will likely involve a
combination of different financing sources for
different elements of the care cascade, and
should consider including hepatitis elimination
in the framework of Universal Health Coverage
alongside catalytic financing sources where
required.
These investment cases are
an important advocacy tool
that can be used by civil
society and the affected
community to call for action
on hepatitis elimination.
In Nigeria, where WHA
has done the investment
case and financing work
alongside the Federal
Ministry of Health and other
stakeholders, civil society
has been using this to call for
action at the national and
8 hep Voice MARCH 2019
state level. Following the ongoing advocacy
efforts of WHA member Grassroot Economic
Empowerment Initiative (GREEINProject) in
Akwa Ibom State, the State Government has
recently created a standalone desk officer
for hepatitis. This important development
demonstrates Akwa Ibom State’s commitment
to viral hepatitis. It will ensure that hepatitis is
kept on the state’s health agenda and that the
needs of patients are listened to at the highest
levels.
It is important that civil society is able to
understand and utilise the investment cases
for hepatitis elimination so that they are
equipped with the advocacy tools to ensure
that hepatitis elimination strategies are
financed and translated into real action. To
help support this, WHA launched the National
Viral Hepatitis Programme Financing Strategy
Template website in 2017. The website sets
out the investment case and financing process,
and contains case studies highlighting the work
done to date.
Support NOhep’s
Google Doodle Campaign!
We need your help! Join us in requesting that Google
mark World Hepatitis Day, 28 July, with a Google Doodle
sketch to commemorate Barry Blumberg, the man who
discovered the hepatitis B virus and developed the
hepatitis B vaccine.
A Google Doodle is a temporary change to the Google logo on its homepages commemorating
holidays, events, achievements and people. Since 2010, Google Doodles have also hyperlinked
to search results for the subject of the Doodle, making them a great way to reach new
audiences and raise awareness.
Dr Blumberg – whose hepatitis B vaccine is thought to have prevented more cancer-related
deaths than any other intervention in history – is the perfect ambassador for the NOhep
movement on World Hepatitis Day (which is also his birthday!). A Google Doodle in his
memory could save lives by raising awareness of viral hepatitis.
It’s really easy to get involved
Simply add your name to the letter on the NOhep website, share it on social media, and
encourage your friends, families, colleagues and networks to get involved!
hep Voice
MARCH 2019 9