Why?
The elimination of viral hepatitis B and C is amongst the stated goals of the UN and the WHO. However, Europe is yet to make significant progress. These viruses affect 28 million people in the WHO Europe region, most of whom are living without visible symptoms for decades before disease progression. As many as 171,000 deaths annually in the WHO Europe region are caused by two infections – hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. Experts warn that the number of individuals affected will continue to increase in many countries across Europe over the next 15 years unless action is taken to prevent, detect, and cure these diseases. Countries must move to prevent infection, improve diagnosis across the spectrum of risk groups and ensure that direct acting antiviral treatment is affordable and accessible. Spending money today to control viral hepatitis will reduce costs later from its complications.
What?
This coalition of patients, community actors, clinicians and researchers has come together to mobilise European policymakers for eliminating viral hepatitis throughout the European neighbourhood, improving both patient outcomes and health systems’ sustainability (the implementation of the WHO Global Strategy, the WHO Europe Action for viral hepatitis elimination and the UN SDG) by means of a new Declaration, and adoption of an EU Policy Framework for Communicable Diseases.
How?
The coalition implements activities supporting the achievement of its objectives, including a political statement, published in a relevant; gather, interpret and leverage existing evidence to support the “case for viral hepatitis” and to provide guidance to policymakers; engage with and raise awareness among policymakers at European level and national level. The initiative organizes policy roundtable seminars, high-level discussion meetings with policymakers and various stakeholder events targeting decision-makers.
For what outcome?
- A declaration that sets policy expectations as regards prevention, screening, and detection, linkage to care, evaluation and surveillance of viral hepatitis and a monitoring framework.
- Active EU support to governments in achieving viral hepatitis elimination goals.
| EATG contact person(s): | Luis Mendão (member representing EATG) Ann Isabelle von Lingen – annisabelle.vonlingen@eatg.org |
| Duration of the project/initiative: | Started in April 2017 / ongoing |
| Initiative secretariat coordinator: | Foresight International Policy and Regulatory Advisers (FIPRA) |
| Main partner(s): | The European Liver Patients’ Association (ELPA), the Viral Hepatitis Prevention Board, Hepatitis B and C Public Policy Association, EASL International Liver Foundation, European Aids Treatment Group (EATG), Correlation Network, the World Hepatitis Alliance and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). |
| Budget: | n/a |
| Main funding sources: | Abbott, CEPHEID, Gilead Sciences Europe Ltd and Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD) |
| Links: | http://achievehepatitiselimination.eu |
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Are you living with HIV/AIDS? Are you part of a community affected by HIV/AIDS and co-infections? Do you work or volunteer in the field? Are you motivated by our cause and interested to support our work?
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