Viral hepatitis is a major public health burden that takes a heavy toll on lives, communities and health systems.

The adoption of the WHO Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis aims at the elimination of this infection as a public health threat by 2030.

Today, scientific breakthroughs give us unprecedented opportunities to end the hepatitis epidemics, but public and political awareness is a critical factor for success.

We therefore ask European and national policy-makers to officially adopt the “European Hepatitis Awareness Week”.

Taking place on the week of World Hepatitis Day (28 July), the European Hepatitis Awareness Week would be an occasion to hold intensive, coordinated awareness-raising and educational activities across Europe.

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Hepatitis global burden (1)

• Viral hepatitis is responsible for an estimated 1.4 million deaths per year from acute infection and hepatitis-related liver cancer and cirrhosis – a toll higher to that of HIV and tuberculosis
• Of those deaths approximately 47% are attributable to hepatitis B virus, 48% to hepatitis C virus and the remainder to hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus

WHO European Region (2)

• It is estimated that more than 13 million people are living with hepatitis B infection and more than 15 million with chronic hepatitis C infection
• Approximately 171 000 people die due to viral hepatitis-related causes each year

WHO Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) on viral hepatitis 2016-2021

• Vision – A world where viral hepatitis transmission is halted and everyone living with viral hepatitis has access to safe, affordable and effective prevention, care and treatment services
• Goal – Eliminate viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030

Awareness: a critical factor for success

• To generate resources and to mobilise action, it is necessary to increase the public and political awareness of the public health importance of viral hepatitis
• World Hepatitis Day (28 July) is an opportunity to raise public awareness, but intensified efforts are required, when considered that, globally, less than 5% of people living with chronic viral hepatitis are aware of their status (3)
• Across Europe, several countries have not yet prioritised viral hepatitis as a public health issue and lack national strategies and well-funded, cost-effective action plans (4)

The “European Hepatitis Awareness Week” and the Elimination Manifesto

• The need for a “European Hepatitis Week” to hold intensive, coordinated awareness-raising and educational activities across Europe, was expressed in the manifesto “Hepatitis C Elimination in Europe ‘Our vision for a Hepatitis C-free Europe’” (Elimination Manifesto)
• The Elimination Manifesto sets out the vision and the commitment of several stakeholders to eliminate hepatitis C in Europe – it was launched in Brussels on the occasion of the first EU HCV Summit (February 2016), which brought together some 150 among policy-makers, patients and scientific experts on liver disease
• The Elimination Manifesto is endorsed by: Hepatitis B and C Public Policy Association, European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), European Aids Treatment Group (EATG), European Liver Patient Association (ELPA), Correlation Network – European Network Social Inclusion and Health, International Centre for Migration Health and Development, Viral Hepatitis Prevention Board (VHPB), World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA)

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References
(1) WHO Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis 2016-2021 – Towards ending viral hepatitis
(2) WHO Regional Office for Europe, Action Plan for the health sector response to viral hepatitis in the WHO European Region (Draft 3.0), May 2016
(3) WHO Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis 2016-2021
(4) Action Plan for the health sector response to viral hepatitis in the WHO European Region (Draft 3.0)

About Hepatitis B & C Public Policy Association
The Hepatitis B & C Public Policy Association was founded in 2009 by a group of leading European scientists, public health experts and patient advocates. We aim to urge and facilitate the formulation of public policies at national and international level for the communication, prevention and management of viral Hepatitis B and C. The Association’s unique approach in furtherance of this aim is to gather together, and work in partnership with, the major stakeholders in the field of these diseases including regulators, patients, clinicians, public health and civil society communities and the private sector. The Association’s main activities to date include four major hepatitis summits with ensuing calls to action. The last summit, held in Brussels on 17th February 2016, was dedicated to the elimination of the hepatitis C virus in Europe (www.hcvbrusselssummit.eu). This Summit culminated in the launch of the Elimination Manifesto. The Association has working groups and publishes a Newsletter 4 times per year for 5000 stakeholders in the field of hepatitis. For more information about the Association’s activities please visit www.hepbcppa.org.