World Hepatitis Day, 2020: World Hepatitis Day is recognized annually on July 28th, the birthday of Dr. Baruch Blumberg (1925–2011). Dr. Blumberg discovered the hepatitis B virus in 1967, and 2 years later he developed the first hepatitis B vaccine.
Viral hepatitis — a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E — affects millions of people worldwide, causing both acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) liver disease. Viral hepatitis causes more than one million deaths each year. While deaths from tuberculosis and HIV have been declining, deaths from hepatitis are increasing.
According to WHO:
- 325 million people are living with viral hepatitis B and C.
- 900,000 deaths per year are caused due to hepatitis B virus infection.
- 10% of people living with hepatitis B and 19% living with hepatitis C know their hepatitis status.
- 42% of children, globally have access to the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine.
Reasons behind celebrating World Hepatitis Day:
- To encourage and aware people of the early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment from hepatitis.
- Raise awareness among the public about types of hepatitis disease.
- Provide an opportunity to focus together on the disease Hepatitis.
- Tell people about prevention, early diagnosis, screening, control, etc.
- Increase awareness about the vaccine of Hepatitis A and B.
- Educate people and expand it for immunization, prevention, diagnosis, and control.
- Make people aware of the care and treatment for those people suffering from hepatitis.
- Make people get tested the disease at an early stage.
- Implement new training methods and a number of skilled medical professionals in order to enhance quality care.
- Promote several health and government organizations in the whole world for their active involvement in the event to create or discover new strategies against hepatitis.
- Promote professional staff members so that they can participate in the event.
Worldwide, 290 million people are living with viral hepatitis unaware. Without finding the undiagnosed and linking them to care, millions will continue to suffer, and lives will be lost. In 2020 the theme is ‘Find the Missing Millions’.
The disease running through ages which made millions to suffer and still affects. But with the contribution of our Scientists and Researchers, humans were able to slow the pace with treatments being made available worldwide. But it is always the precaution and timely diagnosis which helps stop the rapid progress of the disease of Hepatitis.
Image Source: Internet