World Hepatitis Day is observed every year on July 28 across the world to raise awareness about viral hepatitis. Viral hepatitis is a disease that can cause cancer and severe liver disease. The primary viral hepatitis types, A, B, C, D and E, each have different health effects and mechanisms of transmission. The goals of the day include campaigning for better public health policy and advancing prevention, testing and treatment.
World Hepatitis Day 2024: Significance
World Hepatitis Day plays a vital role in raising public awareness about viral hepatitis and its impact on public health. The day brings together hepatitis educators, patients and leaders to discuss the different forms of the disease, as well as strategies for testing, treatment and prevention. It encourages international collaboration and activism to combat the growing number of hepatitis-related illnesses and deaths. By emphasizing the importance of widespread vaccination, early diagnosis and greater access to health services, World Hepatitis Day promotes a unified international effort. This collective action is essential to achieving WHO’s goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health issue by 2030. The disturbing statistic that someone dies from hepatitis or related diseases every 30 seconds worldwide highlights how important this awareness campaign is.
World Hepatitis Day 2024: History
The day was changed from May 19 to July 28 in 2010, in honor of Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg, the American doctor who identified hepatitis B in the 1960s. In 2008, the first community-driven World Hepatitis Day was organized by the World Hepatitis Alliance, founded in 2007. The event aims to support global and national initiatives to combat hepatitis by promoting participation and action from partners, individuals and the general public. The date of July 28 is chosen to honor Dr. Blumberg’s birthday and his revolutionary contributions to the field of hepatitis research, including the identification of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the creation of a vaccine and diagnostic tools for the virus.
World Hepatitis Day 2024: Prevention Methods
- Vaccination: Hepatitis A and B vaccines effectively increase the production of antibodies by the immune system, without causing the disease.
- Awareness – Educate the public about hepatitis and urge them to adopt practices that limit its spread.
- Hygiene practices – Cook food properly and thoroughly disinfect food and water. Wash your hands often, especially after using the bathroom and before eating. These practices reduce the risk of hepatitis A and E.
