World Hepatitis Day Initiatives
The World Hepatitis Alliance supports campaigners and patient organisations around the world to help make a difference to the lives of the millions of people living with viral hepatitis and to prevent new infections. To find out more on what is going on in your country, use the map below to find local organisations, World Hepatitis Day initiatives and other initiatives.
You can also look at our ‘Wall of Stories’ and submit your own personal experience of living with hepatitis or find other community resources including an Online Scrapbook and our latest Newsletters. The This is hepatitis... blog features bloggers from around the world talking about their experiences with hepatitis.
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Country: Belgium
City: Bruxelles [Brussel]
Type: WHD
Belgium - WHD 2011
The national francophone organisation Carrefour Hépatites – Aide et Contact (CHAC) organised a march on Tuesday 19th July from ‘place du Luxembourg’ in the centre of Bruxelles to the Ministry of Health where a cow’s liver was symbolically placed at the door. The pacifist demonstration in which mainly patients participated was entitled ‘La révolution des foies’ (The livers’ revolution) and participants wearing t-shirts featuring the logo of the organisation carried liver shaped banners and also banners featuring the theme of this year global campaign ‘hepatitis affects everyone, everywhere. Know it. Confront it.’
A delegation of patients was received by the Government in the afternoon to voice the claims of the hepatitis community. Complaints were also made about the World Hepatitis Day change of date to the 28th July because government officials are on holiday which reduces the impact.
The campaign also included the publication of an article in one of the national newspapers ‘La Libre’ raising awareness about the hepatitis situation in Belgium where it is estimated that 80,000 people with hepatitis C remain undiagnosed. It also warned readers that Belgium is lagging behind in the fight against hepatitis compared to its neighbouring countries especially in terms of testing and access to treatment.
