World Hepatitis Day being held on Thursday 28 July is an opportunity to raise national and international efforts on hepatitis, encourage actions and engagement by individuals, partners and the public and highlight the need for a greater global response.
The theme for 2022 is Hepatitis Can’t Wait, which highlights the need to accelerate hepatitis B and hepatitis C elimination efforts, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It also highlights social injustice and inequity caused by the current lack of action on hepatitis elimination and focuses on the positive action needed to get on track to meet 2030 elimination goals.
In Australia, approximately 220,000 people are living with lifelong Hepatitis B and many are unaware they have the virus. There is a safe and effective vaccine to protect you against getting hep B. You can get treatment to manage chronic hepatitis B but not cure it.
More than 70 per cent of people living with chronic hepatitis B are not receiving regular care, and only 10 per cent of people living with chronic hepatitis B are getting antiviral treatment. This is half the number estimated to need treatment.
COVID-19 has significantly interrupted hepatitis screening and hepatitis B monitoring in Australia. Now is the time to address this through a concerted and unified effort.
More than 115,000 people are still living with chronic hepatitis C and many are unaware they have the virus or have not been fully diagnosed. There is no vaccine to protect against hepatitis C, but there is an effective cure. Direct-acting antivirals (or DAAs) are easy to take with as little as one tablet a day, no injections and most people experience few to no side effects.
