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World Hepatitis Day 2024: History, Theme, Government Initiatives

PWOnlyIAS July 25, 2024 09:45 677 0

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: History, Theme, Government Initiatives

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. 

World Hepatitis Day 2024

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,

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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

About Hepatitis Virus 

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

Types and Symptoms of Viral Hepatitis

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.

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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

World Hepatitis Day 2024 Theme

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.

Government Initiatives to Combat Viral Hepatitis

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:

  • National Viral Hepatitis Control Program: Launched in 2019 to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with viral hepatitis (liver cancer) through prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
  • Universal Immunization Programme (UIP): India’s Universal Immunization Programme includes free-of-cost Hepatitis B vaccination for newborns for its prevention.
  • Awareness Programs: Frequent public health campaigns to educate communities about hepatitis transmission, symptoms, and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
  • Surveillance Measure: The Integrated Disease Surveillance Program set up surveillance centres at district, state, and central levels to report Hepatitis A and E, among other diseases. 

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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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World Hepatitis Day 2024 FAQs

World Hepatitis Day is observed on July 28th, the birth anniversary of Dr. Baruch Blumberg.

It is celebrated to raise global awareness about viral hepatitis, and its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

The theme for World Hepatitis Day 2024 is 'It's Time for Action.'

The Nobel Prize for Hepatitis C was awarded to Dr. Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton, and Charles M. Rice in 2020.

The Global Hepatitis Summit 2025 will be held in Los Angeles, US from March 18 – 21, 2025.
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 Final Result – CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION, 2023.   Udaan-Prelims Wallah ( Static ) booklets 2024 released both in english and hindi : Download from Here!     Download UPSC Mains 2023 Question Papers PDF  Free Initiative links -1) Download Prahaar 3.0 for Mains Current Affairs PDF both in English and Hindi 2) Daily Main Answer Writing  , 3) Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis and quiz ,  4) PDF Downloads  UPSC Prelims 2023 Trend Analysis cut-off and answer key

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UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
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