Global hepatitis resource mobilization conference aims to unite nations to eliminate viral Hepatitis by 2030

EGYPT— The Arab Republic of Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have co-hosted the inaugural Global Hepatitis Resource Mobilization Conference, aiming to unite various organizations and governments in their efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.

The Hepatitis Fund, in collaboration with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the World Health Organization (WHO), played a crucial role in facilitating this campaign against viral hepatitis.

The conference served as a global call to action, urging increased financial and political commitment toward the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030.

Its primary objective was to raise significant funds to support countries that have already demonstrated political commitment and taken initial steps in implementing national plans for hepatitis elimination.

These catalytic funds are intended to kick-start implementation or accelerate progress toward achieving each country’s goals, with a collective target amount of US$150 million.

Distinguished individuals present at the event included Dr. Chelsea Clinton, Vice Chair of the board of directors for the Clinton Health Access Initiative; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO; and Helen Clark, former New Zealand Prime Minister and current Hepatitis Fund Ambassador.

The conference also saw participation from several health ministries of high-burden countries such as Cambodia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, and Vietnam, as well as key global funders like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and representatives from civil society.

Dr. Chelsea Clinton highlighted the efforts of CHAI in making a simplified “test and treat” protocol accessible to low- and middle-income countries since the availability of a cure for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in 2015.

She emphasized the importance of delivering the hepatitis B vaccine to newborns and providing lifelong treatment to those in need to achieve a generation free from hepatitis B. Dr. Clinton urged everyone to view the conference as a turning point in the fight against hepatitis.

Finn Jarle Rode, Executive Director of The Hepatitis Fund, emphasized the ambitious nature of the conference’s goals but deemed them worthy of pursuit.

He stressed that it cannot be business as usual to underestimate the threat of viral hepatitis, as it continues to cause preventable loss of life and economic costs, particularly in resource-limited countries.

According to the World Health Organization, viral hepatitis ranks as the seventh leading cause of global mortality.

Despite the availability of a cure for HCV and a vaccine for HBV, both viruses affect over 350 million people, with 90% of infections concentrated in low- and middle-income countries.

Each year, over 1.1 million people die from hepatitis-related illnesses, and 3 million new infections occur.

Without intervention, viral hepatitis deaths are projected to surpass the combined deaths from HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria by 2040.

Despite these alarming statistics, global efforts to address viral hepatitis remain severely neglected and underfunded.

Globally, more than 80% of people living with hepatitis lack access to prevention, testing, and treatment services.

The puzzling aspect is that vaccines, reliable diagnostics, and effective treatments are available, yet efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis are not adequately scaled up in the regions that need them most due to limited resources.

In 2016, all WHO Member States endorsed the Global Hepatitis Strategy, aiming to reduce new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65% between 2016 and 2030.

The agency engaged member states in 2022 to reassess strategies for achieving these targets.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, along with Unitaid, plays a leading role in providing funding for hepatitis-related initiatives.

Additionally, the Hepatitis Fund continues to provide compelling evidence that targeted investments in diagnostic testing and medicines for Hepatitis B and C can save lives and generate long-term cost savings for countries by reducing healthcare expenses.

Several countries have made promising progress in eliminating viral hepatitis. For instance, Egypt, which faces the highest burden of HCV globally, successfully implemented a national elimination program between 2014 and 2020.

The program involved screening over 50 million people and treating an additional 4 million individuals, resulting in a significant reduction in HCV mortality rates.

Egypt’s success can be attributed to strong political commitment, increased domestic healthcare spending, and external funding.

Other countries such as Georgia, India, Mongolia, and Rwanda have also made substantial strides toward eliminating viral hepatitis.

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