As we reach the end of the year, I also reach the end of my term as president of the World Hepatitis Alliance. When I first accepted the role, I could never have foreseen that a global pandemic would occur during my term of office and alter life so significantly. While it has limited my ability to meet many WHA members and attend meetings in person, it has allowed me to virtually connect with so many of you in the many town halls and webinars. 

I am immensely grateful for the support that the WHA board, staff team and members have given me in my term as president. You all inspire me with your determined efforts to support your communities against hepatitis every day. Your actions over the past year will have minimised the impact that COVID-19 has had on hepatitis elimination, but we must face the reality that the pandemic has meant there is ground to make up. We cannot give up on the goal of eliminating hepatitis by 2030. It is clear that elimination can and must be reached. Your fierce determination to take on the challenges presented by COVID-19 has met the many needs of communities most affected by hepatitis. I commend you all and look forward to continuing to work together to tackle the global hepatitis crisis.

 

I will remain on the WHA board in 2022, serving as past president and supporting incoming president Danjuma Adda. I’m so glad to be able to pass the batten over to Danjuma, the first WHA president from the African region. Under Danjuma’s leadership, we will continue to grow as a global movement and raise the voices of the people and communities impacted by hepatitis. I will also be working closely with the WHA team as chair of the programme committee for the World Hepatitis Summit. I am immensely looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the summit, either in person or virtually so that we can once again unite the global hepatitis community and accelerate action towards elimination.

 

Wishing you all the very best for 2022

 

Su Wang, MD MPH FACP