2023-07-28 00:58:48
London (ots/PRNewswire) – World Hepatitis Day (WHD) starts today with the international motto “We’re not waiting”. At WHD, the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), with its global network of 323 members in over 100 countries, comes together to lead the international campaign and accelerate the fight against viral hepatitis, one of the world’s deadliest and most neglected diseases and public health crises – a disease , which claims a life every 30 seconds.
New research presented at EASL Congress by the Centers for Disease Analysis (CDA) Foundation1 found that hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are highly oncogenic and cause cancers of multiple organs and body parts can lead. The report shows that people infected with hepatitis B and C “have a similar or significantly greater risk of developing cancer than someone who actively smokes a pack of cigarettes a day”. The report concludes that HBV and HCV “should be considered as cancer-causing infections and that international guidelines need to be reconsidered accordingly”.
A recent survey2 by the WHA found that almost half (42%) of the world’s people are unaware that one of the most common causes of liver cancer is viral hepatitis. Almost three-quarters (74%) of respondents say that knowing how hepatitis causes liver cancer means they are more likely to get tested, and more than four-fifths (82%) say they are more likely to get tested to be vaccinated.
More than 350 million people worldwide are living with hepatitis B or C3, killing more than 1.1 million people each year4. By 2040, viral hepatitis deaths are expected to exceed combined mortality from HIV, malaria and tuberculosis5.
Danjuma Adda, President of the World Hepatitis Alliance, explains:
“More than a million people die from hepatitis every year. The theme of World Hepatitis Day 2023 is “We’re not waiting”. This is a call to accelerate efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis now and to meet the urgent need for testing and treatment for the people who really need it. Individuals and communities around the world are making changes in their own lives and in the world around them. We celebrate this commitment and at the same time call for more action. We don’t wait for change – we fight to make it happen. “
Homie Razavi, Managing Director, CDA Foundation comments:
“Hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections are silent epidemics. These viral infections cause cancer, but because infected people don’t show symptoms until it’s too late, most infections go unnoticed. It is important for all of us to recognize the high risk of cancer associated with hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections and to provide patients with the right care. Treatment can reduce cancer risk by 85% or more.”
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Questions & contact:
Media contact:
Tajinder Tiwana, +44(0)7715339193, contact@worldhepatitisalliance.org
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