Hepatitis B and C does not discriminate against who you are or where you come from. Viral hepatitis can affect anyone, from anywhere all over the world.
Groups from different parts of the globe organised events for World Hepatitis Awareness Day in order to raise awareness and motivate people to “Get tested!”
Here’s an insight into what happened on October 1st...
International
This year EHRN organized a special session on hepatitis C in the context of drug use, social inclusion and health on September 28 in Sofia, Bulgaria during the European Conference “Social Inclusion and Health” and prepared a report on Hepatitis C in Europe, which was presented at the WHAD media event in Brussels. In the past few years they have also developed a number of materials mainly in English and Russian on hepatitis C.
www.elpa-info.org/main.php?templ=about_members
Click here for more information about other WHAD 2007 activities from around the world
IHRA is the leading organisation in promoting evidence based harm reduction policies and practices on a global basis for all psychoactive substances (including illicit drugs, tobacco and alcohol).
Australia:
1 – 7 October Hepatitis Australia and its partner organisations encourage all Australians to learn the facts about the virus that affects approximately 200,000 Australians from all walks of life. Throughout the week our state and territory councils will be conducting a variety of awareness raising activities across Australia. For a full list of Awareness Week activities in Australia, see: www.hepatitisaustralia.com/events_projects/aw_activities.html.
Austria:
Bangladesh:
The liver foundation of Bangladesh will be co-ordinating a massive national campaign including TV, radio and print coverage involving renowned personalities and hepatologists, as well as providing public information booths, leaflets, posters, competitions in order to engage and motivate the public to hepatitis-related problems
Belgium:
CHAC (Carrefour Hépatites-Aide et Contact) will be speaking to all spectrums of the media to raise awareness of WHAD, as well as lobbying Members of Parliament with flyers and information on hepatitis in order to raise awareness and motivate people to “Get tested”. An information forum for the public will also take place in Mons. All money raised will go towards purchasing a fibroscan – a device used to quantify hepatic fibrosis.
On 29 September, ‘Vereniging voor Hepatitis C Patiënten' plans to stage an information conference in collaboration with the Belgian association for the Study of the Liver. The location will be at the Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen, Antwerp at 2 o'clock.
Bosnia Herzegovina:
The Chronic Hepatitis Patients Association will disseminate information about hepatitis B and C to the media and will distribute posters and leaflets to the general public, motivating them to get tested. They will also call on the minister of health for better treatment opportunities for hepatitis patients.
Canada:
National Canadian Research Training Program in Hepatitis C (NCRTP-HepC) is a public-private partnership designed to raise national training standards, promote leadership and enhance awareness of Hepatitis C.
Croatia:
ELPA in Croatia will be engaging with the national media on all levels, as well as holding WHAD events in 7 of the main Croatia cities with posters, leaflets and brochures. They will also appealing directly to journalists, members of parliaments and doctors, amongst others for action regarding the problem of hepatitis B and C.
Germany:
Deutsche Leberhilfe e.V. will launch a poster and media campaign in cooperation with national newspapers, radio and television in order to raise awareness for hepatitis.
India:
The Manipur Coalition of People Living with Hepatitis (MCH) will be officially launching their newly-formed group on World Hepatitis Day, at a formal function their offices in the North East of India.
Italy:
EpaC are heading up poster and media campaigns, as well as opening temporary blood screening centres in squares near Milan on 22nd – 30th September. On 1st October they will be demonstrating in front of the Italian parliament, to raise awareness of hepatitis C. On Sunday 30th September the EpaC offices will stay open for hepatitis counseling.
Lebanon::
Hitting out against hepatitis Hép attitude positive is organizing a photo exhibition raising hepatitis awareness, and will be attended by Miss Lebanon – Nadine Njeim as well as Dr George Aftimos, President of the Lebanese Order of Physicians. The event will be held on Saturday 29 September.
Macedonia::
HEPTA are offering a help and information line along with counseling services on Hepatitis B and C and organising various public campaigns and activities aimed at raising awareness.
Nepal:
The Hepa Foundation is recognising World Hepatitis Awareness Day for the very first time in Nepal! In addition to their regular hepatitis awareness programmes, they will be organising a mass rally, distributing leaflets and engaging with the media at a specially organised press conference.
Netherlands:
The Netherlands Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (NIGZ) will be co-ordinating a nationwide campaign issuing posters, leaflets and peer training to raise awareness particularly amongst ethnic minorities and drug users.
For more information please contact: Ms. Loes Singels
The Amsterdam Public Health Service in the Netherlands is offering an online risk assessment questionnaire (in English and other languages), which offers those at risk of HCV infection a free and anonymous hepatitis C blood test. People can print out the lab forms themselves and visit a laboratory in the region for the blood test. Within one week, the result can be obtained online and those with hepatitis C antibodies are invited for further blood testing at the public health service (free of cost and anonymous) and, if chronically infected, referred to a hospital for further diagnostics and treatment if indicated.
Sweden:
Riksföreningen Hepatit C will be organising a series of seminars to raise awareness of hepatitis and will be inviting members of the press as well as healthcare workers.
United Kingdom:
The Children's Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF) is a registered charity and the only organisation supporting children and young people with liver disease, including hepatitis b and c.
