New Delhi: World Hepatitis Day is one of the 11 official global public health events observed by the World Health Organization. Marked every year on July 28, the day hopes to spread awareness about the group of diseases that can cause hepatitis – which in itself refers to both chronic and acute inflammation of the liver.
Hepatitis can manifest as acute or chronic illness. This year’s theme for World Hepatitis Day is, “Bringing hepatitis care closer to you.”
Every year on July 28, people all across the world observe World Hepatitis Day with a hope for a Hepatitis-free future focusing strongly on spreading awareness of the disease. In 1967, American Physician Baruch Samuel Blumberg discovered the Hepatitis B virus. In order to honour the Nobel Prize-winning scientist, his birthday–July 28, was chosen as World Hepatitis Day. It was founded in the year 2007 and the first community-organised World Hepatitis Day was observed in 2008.
The day is observed to spread awareness about the various forms of hepatitis and how they get transmitted. The day also aims to improve the management, detection, and prevention of viral hepatitis as well as related diseases. The day serves as a reminder of the importance of increasing hepatitis B vaccination rates. The day also advocates to build a collective global hepatitis action plan.
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