Bangkok--28 Jul--PR Associates
Hepatitis impact in Asia Pacific to rise if not tackled on multiple levels: according to experts
WHO’s World Hepatitis Day highlights viral hepatitis as a global health problem
Thai Association for the Study of the Liver has joined the campaign to help Thais aware of the devastating effects”
More than 80% of patients ignore to access the treatment properly
This World Hepatitis Day, 28 July 2011, a group of leading experts in viral hepatitis is urging governments and the public across Asia Pacific to become more aware of the devastating effects of hepatitis on individuals, their families and the community at large. The group, known as CEVHAP (Coalition to Eradicate Viral Hepatitis in Asia Pacific) was recently formed to address the lack of awareness and political will to tackle issues associated with viral hepatitis.
This is the first year that 28 July will be recognized as World Hepatitis Day globally, as a result of World Health Assembly’s Resolution on Viral Hepatitis (WHA63.R18) of 21 May 2010. The Resolution also expresses concern about the lack of progress in the prevention, control and treatment of viral hepatitis around the world.
Viral hepatitis, particularly hepatitis B and C, affects one in 12 people worldwide, claiming the lives of approximately one million people every year.[1] Asia Pacific carries the major part of the global burden of viral hepatitis.
“While chronic hepatitis is a silent disease with little or no symptoms for many years, it is also a silent disease when it comes to public awareness and government attention. This has led to the situation we find ourselves in today, where a large population with viral hepatitis does not seek medical attention or receive treatment — and this is also true for countries where the treatment is reimbursed by the government,” said Professor D S Chen, Distinguished Chair Professor of the College of Medicine at National Taiwan University and co-founder of CEVHAP.
The number of people chronically infected with and annually dying as a result of viral hepatitis is on the same scale as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Despite having similar social impact, hepatitis lacks the same level of awareness and political momentum.
CEVHAP’s goal is to act as a bridge between the new WHO Resolution and the Asia Pacific region. Its early focus is on hepatitis B and C, the two types of hepatitis with the greatest impact in the region.
“WHO is calling for a global approach to tackle the problem of viral hepatitis and we see that it is our role, as experts in the field, to ensure Asia Pacific is part of, if not leading some elements, of the global approach,” said Professor Stephen Locarnini, Divisional Head, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Melbourne, Australia and co-founder of CEVHAP.
China and India together have an estimated 123 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B and 59 million people chronically infected with hepatitis C, accounting for almost 50 percent of all infections worldwide.[2],[3]
Associate Professor Dr Teerha Piratvisuth , President of Thai Association for the Study of the Liver at Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine , Prince of Songkla University who sits in CEVHAP committee said" Viral hepatitis , B and C , has continuously been a threat to Thai people. Both viral hepatitis B and C infections still have high prevalences in Thailand and they are also one of the top 9 causes of death of Thais. Viral hepatitis is a silent disease as there are no symptoms .By the time most patients go to see their doctors, the disease has already entered severe stage”
In Thailand there are 3-5 per 100 people infected with hepatitis B virus or about 3.5 million cases all over Thailand and 1-3 per 100 people infected with hepatitis C virus; the latter is found in 4-6% of population in the Northeast and North.
There are 15 percent out of one million patients who has been access properly treated and another 85 percent hasn’t been access properly treated. If virus hepatitis infection can be reduced in people so, the liver cancer and cirrhosis also will be reduced.
There is urgency within Asia Pacific to implement policies that provide patients access to screening and treatment. Currently, more than half of chronic hepatitis patients live in countries with no provision for free testing and 41 percent of patients live in countries where no government funding exists for treatment of hepatitis B or C.[4]
“The burden of hepatitis B on the health system will continue to rise unless effective public policy interventions are implemented by governments across the region,” said Professor Stephen Locarnini. “We are not saying that nothing has been done — there has been progress in countries particularly in the area of universal vaccination — it’s just that a lot more can and needs to be done to effectively tackle this issue.”
About CEVHAP
The Coalition to Eradicate Viral Hepatitis in Asia Pacific (CEVHAP) is the first organization of its kind in the Region, established as an independent, multidisciplinary body to advocate for public policy reforms that reduce the burden of viral hepatitis in Asia Pacific.
Incorporated in October 2010, CEVHAP membership is comprised of many world-renowned hepatitis and virology experts, utilising the collective expertise of its members to assist the region through partnership with a broad range of stakeholders, including government bodies in public policy formulation and health education.
" CEVHAP committee members in Thailand are Associate Professor Dr Teerha Piratvisuth of Department of Medicine ,Faculty of Medicine , Prince of Songkla University, Associate Professor Dr Taweesak Tanwandee and Dr Siwaporn Chainuwati of Faculty of Medicine ,Siriraj Hospital ,Mahidol University"
For more information, visit www.cevhap.org.
World Hepatitis Day 2011 in Asia Pacific
World Hepatitis Day across the world will be recognised by thousands of individuals, patient groups, non-governmental organisations and associations, healthcare professionals, governments, and companies. In Asia Pacific, there will be World Hepatitis Day activities in the following countries and regions: Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.
[1] World Health Organization. Viral hepatitis: Report by the Secretariat. http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB126/B126_15-en.pdf (accessed 30 March, 2010)
[2] World Health Organization. Available at: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/hepatitis/en/
[3] Ferlay et al. Globocan 2002, Cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide, IARC Press, Lyon 2004
[4] World Hepatitis Alliance, Viral Hepatitis: Global Policy http://www.worldhepatitisalliance.org/Libraries/Campaign_Materials/Viral_Hepatitis_Global_Policy.sflb.ashx