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July 28, 2024 10:45
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World Hepatitis Day 2024 will be observed on July 28th with the theme ‘It's time for action.’ Read on to learn the purpose of World Hepatitis Day 2024.
World Hepatitis Day 2024: World Hepatitis Day 2024, observed on July 28th, serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing battle against viral hepatitis. This year, the theme of World Hepatitis Day is ‘It’s Time for Action’, calling for resource mobilisation and accelerating efforts for better prevention of viral hepatitis.
World Hepatitis Day 2024 aims to make people aware of the causes, symptoms, and preventions of viral hepatitis, an ailment characterized by inflammation of the liver that causes severe liver disease and cancer.
The awareness of hepatitis started back in October 2004 as “International Hepatitis C Awareness Day,” which later became an annual event as ‘World Hepatitis Day’ in 2008. The date for this was fixed as May 19 by the World Hepatitis Alliance.
It was in 2010 that the World Health Assembly changed the date to July 28 to honour Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg and commemorate his contributions against hepatitis. Dr. Blumberg is a Nobel awardee who is credited with the discovery of the hepatitis B virus in 1967 and developing the first-ever hepatitis B vaccine,
Since then, World Hepatitis Day has been observed annually on July 28th to raise global awareness about hepatitis, a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. It aims to encourage prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and work towards its elimination.
| World Hepatitis Day 2024 Overview | |
| Particular | Details |
| Date | July 28, 2024 |
| Theme | It’s Time for Action |
| Also Known As | Birth Anniversary of Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg |
| Organized by | World Health Organization (WHO) |
| Purpose | To mobilize resources, enhance awareness, and implement strategies |
| Key Activities | Awareness campaigns, educational programs, health screenings, vaccination drives |
Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of the liver or swelling of the liver cells. It can be either acute or chronic and is believed to be caused by hepatotropic viruses (viruses that are directed to the liver). There are other possible causes, such as blood transmission, autoimmune hepatitis, and hepatitis that occur as a secondary result of medications, toxins, and alcohol.
Here’s a closer look at the hepatitis virus:
|
Hepatitis Virus |
|
| Types of Hepatitis | A, B, C, D, E |
| First Recognition | Hepatitis B virus discovered in 1967 by Dr. Baruch Blumberg |
| Cause | Mainly Viral infection or medications, autoimmune diseases |
| Most Fatal | Hepatitis B and C |
| Global Impact As per WHO (2022) | 304 million people living with chronic hepatitis B and C |
| Vaccination | Only 45% of babies received hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth |
| Mortality As per WHO (2022) | 1.3 million people died of chronic hepatitis B and C |
| WHO Elimination Goal | By 2030 |
Viral hepatitis can be classified into five main types: A, B, C, D, and E. Most of these are either asymptomatic or have common symptoms, including fatigue, nausea, and pain in the abdomen. Each type has its transmission mode and severity with Hepatitis B and C being the most common infections.
| Type | Description | Symptoms |
| Hepatitis A | Acute infection, Infected person’s stool can transmit it | Fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain, jaundice |
| Hepatitis B | Predominantly parenteral route, Can be acute or chronic | Fever, skin rash, joint pain, fatigue, jaundice, abdominal pain |
| Hepatitis C | Primarily spread through the parenteral route, Known to cause chronic infection | Often asymptomatic, or nausea, malaise, right upper quadrant pain, liver damage |
| Hepatitis D | Occurs only in those infected with hepatitis B and can become superinfection if the patient has chronic hepatitis B | Mostly asymptomatic or in some cases nausea, abdominal pain, fever, bruising, bleeding, etc. |
| Hepatitis E | Self-limiting acute infection, Transmitted through contaminated water | Usually asymptomatic or Fatigue, nausea, mild abdominal pain, anorexia |
This year’s World Hepatitis Day 2024 theme is ‘It’s time for action.’ WHO has set this theme to emphasize the urgent need for scaling up efforts to prevent, diagnose, and treat hepatitis. It calls for global action to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
The World Hepatitis Day Theme 2024 aims to encourage governments to invest in hepatitis services and raise awareness about the availability of vaccines and treatments. It highlights the importance of early diagnosis and regular screening. As every 30 seconds a person dies due to a hepatitis-related illness (WHO), it is high time to accelerate actions to save lives.
In India, the government has initiated several key programs to combat viral hepatitis, focusing on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. These initiatives aim to enhance awareness and improve healthcare access for affected populations. Some of the major initiatives are:
These initiatives reflect a comprehensive approach to tackling viral hepatitis, aiming for the WHO’s goal of eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Enroll in PW UPSC Courses to learn about India’s effort to achieve SDG 3 Good Health and Well Being!
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