WHO Executive Board Agrees Resolution on Viral Hepatitis
In a major breakthrough following extensive lobbying from the WHA and patient groups, the 34 member states of the WHO EB have recommended a resolution on viral hepatitis to the World Health Assembly in May.
Proposed by Brazil and co-sponsored by Indonesia and Colombia, the resolution gives global support to an official World Hepatitis Day to provide a focus for national and international awareness-raising efforts. The agreement of a resolution is a huge success for patient groups who have worked tirelessly to increase awareness and improve the lives of the people living with hepatitis B and C around the world.
Discussion of viral hepatitis at last year’s World Health Assembly was postponed because of the H1N1 outbreak. Now, the resolution will be debated by the 193 WHO member states at the 63rd World Health Assembly, due to take place in Geneva from Monday 17 – Friday 21 May, 2010. There is a good chance that the resolution will be discussed on World Hepatitis Day itself.
Its adoption by the Assembly would:
- Provide a clear statement that viral hepatitis is now a global priority and has to be tackled globally
- Generate considerable funding for WHO activity to coordinate responses to viral hepatitis at a global level
- Represent a clear commitment by governments to strengthen their response to viral hepatitis, which patient groups would then be able to use to encourage changes in policy and practice at a national level
Charles Gore, President of the WHA, made a direct appeal to delegates at the EB meeting in Geneva, explaining that he was speaking on behalf of hundreds
of patient groups and the 500 million people living with hepatitis B and C:
“Today we ask you to demonstrate the collective will required to halt the death toll…Viral hepatitis does not respect national borders; does not discriminate between races; and it does not recognise the potential of a newborn child. The World Hepatitis Alliance is asking for a resolution on viral hepatitis that explicitly recognises the need for action…a resolution that will deliver results. We ask this as the people affected by these diseases, as your constituents, as your citizens. We are one twelfth of the world’s population.”
In a change to the original text, the draft resolution now proposes marking World Hepatitis Day on 28 July, Baruch Blumberg’s birthday. However, as with the rest of the resolution, this requires agreement by the World Health Assembly and that cannot happen before May. World Hepatitis Day 2010 will therefore be going ahead as planned on 19 May.
As the date of the World Health Assembly approaches, the WHA will be emphasising to all delegates the important role World Hepatitis Day plays in providing a focus for disease control strategies and awareness-raising. Over the past three years, the hepatitis community has greatly increased the profile of World Hepatitis Day and the resolution is an opportunity to take this profile to new levels, encouraging WHO and government engagement in activities around the world.
The WHA will be continuing its discussions with the WHO and member states to ensure a positive outcome at the World Health Assembly and will be contacting all member groups shortly with more information on how they can contribute and make a difference.