World Hepatitis Day is an important day in the fight against hepatitis. The mission of the holiday is to make as many people as possible aware of this disease, and to motivate people to get tested. Initially, the World Hepatitis Alliance established a holiday on July 19, but later it was moved to July 28 – the day the scientist Baruch Samuel Bloomberg was born, who also discovered hepatitis in the middle of the last century. For his discovery, as well as his work on the vaccine, he received the Nobel Prize.
The History
World Hepatitis Day was established in 2010 by the World Hepatitis Alliance. It is a non-profit organization with representatives over a hundred countries. Alliance staff work with governments and partners to help raise people’s awareness of hepatitis and its prevention.
Facts about World Hepatitis Day
- Hepatitis is officially recognized as a global epidemic; it is not restricted to any geographic area.
- Today, according to official figures, about 400 million people are infected with the hepatitis virus.
- It spread by contact with infected blood, during sexual intercourse, transmission from mother to child.
- Without appropriate treatment, the disease leads to complications that are life-threatening.
- Modern medicine has made good progress in the treatment of hepatitis and there are vaccines. In some countries, the hepatitis vaccination is mandatory.
- About 90% of people do not even suspect they are infected with the hepatitis virus.
- The World Hepatitis Organization has set a rather ambitious goal – to eradicate hepatitis worldwide by 2030.
How to take part
Get tested and make sure you are not infected, encourage your friends and relatives to join the survey. Blood sampling is done in any medical center. Share information on social media, raise people’s awareness of this disease. Join the events on World Hepatitis Day. If you are an active citizen, organize your own fundraising event to fight the disease.
When is World Hepatitis Day celebrated in 2024?
World Hepatitis Day is observed on September 28 each year.
Observations
| Weekday | Month | Day | Year |
| Sunday | July | 28 | 2024 |
| Monday | July | 28 | 2025 |
| Tuesday | July | 28 | 2026 |
