In 2010 the World Health Organization made World Hepatitis Day one of only four official disease-specific world health days, to be celebrated each year on the 28th July.Since then, every year, World Hepatitis Day is a significant global platform for raising awareness about hepatitis and influence real change in disease prevention, testing and treatment.Millions of people across the world now take part in World Hepatitis Day, to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, and to call for access to treatment, better prevention programs and government action.
The theme for this year’s global campaign is Elimination.
2016 is a pivotal year for viral hepatitis. At the World Health Assembly in May, WHO Member States are set to adopt the first ever Elimination Strategy for Viral Hepatitis with ambitious targets and a goal to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. This will be the first time national governments sign up and commit to the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis.
To mark this historic moment and to leverage political commitment,the theme‘Elimination’ is being used for WHD 2016, which can be easily adapted for local use; to achieve elimination, greater awareness, increased diagnosis and key interventions including universal vaccination, blood and injection safety, harm reduction and treatment are all needed. This means every activity that addresses viral hepatitis is a step towards elimination.
And while supporting this global event and to elevate the theme of Elimination, World Hepatitis Day programs are being jointly organized by HepCoN, NUN, Kripa Foundation, NNP+, NSACS, in the districts of Kohima, Wokha,Mokokchung, Satakha (Zunheboto District), Pfutsero (Phek District), Kiphire, Tuensang and Mon.
Besides raising awareness on this global event, these programs in the districts intend to bring people together under one platform to speak out, be engaged andseekthe government’s intervention and action to ensure the elimination of viral hepatitis from our communities.
Network of Naga People Living with HIV/AIDS (NNP+)
