This Friday July 28th is World Hepatitis Day. The World Health Organization’s Global Strategy on viral hepatitis is to eliminate hepatitis B and C by 2030. Governments from 194 countries, adopted this goal at the 69th World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.
There are several ways we can all work towards achieving this goal:
- receive a Hepatitis A and B vaccine
- ask for a Hepatitis B and C blood screening blood test to see if you unknowingly are carrying and potentially spreading this virus
- never share needles with another person and seek out treatment if you have Hepatitis.
Viral hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver which can lead to liver failure and an increased risk of liver cancer. Approximately 250,000 Canadians are living with Hepatitis C and many are unaware that they have it as symptoms can be silent for many years.
Charlton Health is proud to provide specialized treatments for patients living with Hepatitis C. These treatments offer a cure for most patients. We are happy to answer questions about these treatments and to advise on available vaccines. For more information on World Hepatitis Day, visit their website.