World Hepatitis Day – #ThinkHepatitis

28th July: World Hepatitis Day!

#ThinkHepatitis

Jessica Cheng

Jessica Cheng is in her second year of an Arts/Law degree at the University of Sydney. She is passionate about social justice and enjoys running, playing in her string quartet and learning kung fu in her spare time.

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Did you know that viral hepatitis kills as many people worldwide every year as HIV/AIDS? Or that it is the world’s 8th biggest killer? Or that 80% of people are unaware that they even have hepatitis?

The 28th July is World Hepatitis Day, which aims to raise awareness of viral hepatitis as a global health issue and thus catalyse efforts to eradicate it worldwide. It was launched in 2008 by the Global Hepatitis Alliance, and marks the birthday of Professor Baruch Blumberg, a Nobel Prize-winning researcher into the hepatitis B virus.

The theme for World Hepatitis Day 2014 is “Think Again” – we have to think again about issues relating to awareness, prevention, treatment, vaccination, stigma and our part in eliminating hepatitis.

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Informed? / Unaware? Example from the World Hepatitis Day online poster campaign

To participate in World Hepatitis Day, look out for local events, get vaccinated or checked up by a doctor, and talk to your friends and family about hepatitis. Together, we can work towards a hepatitis-free world!

Here’s the link to the official World Hepatitis Day video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOpRNuez6gk

And for more information, visit http://www.worldhepatitisday.org/

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