Worldwide, viral hepatitis kills more than one million people each year, and up to 400 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B or C. Yet there has never been more optimism that the global battle against viral hepatitis can be won, with the development of highly-effective direct acting antivirals for hepatitis C and improving rates of hepatitis B vaccination coverage.
Following the adoption of WHO's Global Hepatitis Strategy in May 2016, which includes a goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030, all the key players in this fight will gather at this year's World Hepatitis Summit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to discuss the latest developments and the public health policies needed to meet this goal.
Civil society groups, WHO and its member states, patient organisations from the World Hepatitis Alliance's 249 organisational members, policy makers and public health scientists and funders will all be working side by side at the congress to address this common goal.
The programme will include:
- Updates on the latest trends on hepatitis B and C prevalence worldwide
- A special Commission to be published in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology discussing pathways and obstacles to hepatitis elimination
- Success stories from countries that are already leading the way
- Key issues around hepatitis treatment and care, including preventing transmission, costs issues around new hepatitis C drugs and hepatitis B vaccines
- The WHO Global Health Sector Strategy on viral hepatitis, aiming to reduce new cases of hepatitis B and C by 90% by 2030, and deaths from both conditions by 65% by 2030
Find out more about the programme here:
http://www.The Summit welcomes bona fide press to Sao Paulo, and journalists may register free of charge through the website or by contacting Summit media contact Tony Kirby on tony@tonykirby.com.
A number of press releases will be issued throughout the Summit, and more information on this will be made available as the Summit approaches.
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