World Hepatitis Day is commemorated on July 28, this year under the slogan “Expanding access to diagnosis and treatment to save lives”.
Additionally, it is an opportunity to address gaps and needs in our efforts to eliminate these diseases as a public health problem.
The Region of the Americas is actively responding to this call, with a growing number of countries adopting and implementing the Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis and establishing national plans and targets.
However, we must intensify our efforts and increase access to diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis B and C to achieve elimination goals.
Every year there are 67,000 new infections and 84,000 deaths from viral hepatitis in the Americas. Vaccinating the newborn during the first hours of life is key to preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B.
It is important to note that the symptoms appear when the disease is already very advanced. There are effective vaccines and treatments that offer hope for everyone.
The hepatitis B vaccine is available for both adults and children, while safe drug treatments can cure hepatitis C.
For pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B, knowing their status and accessing treatment is crucial to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
2023-07-27 17:25:00
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