WHA Statement at the WHO Executive Board
The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) met in January 2022, on the agenda was the creation of a new Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) on viral hepatitis, HIV and STI’s. The World Hepatitis Alliance, as a non-state actor to WHO submitted the below statement to the discussion.
Statement at the 150th session of the WHO Executive Board by the World Hepatitis Alliance, an international network of 314 organisations in 100 countries.
Agenda Item 7.8 The global health sector strategies on, respectively, HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections
The World Hepatitis Alliance welcomes the new Global Health Sector Strategy on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Viral hepatitis is one of the deadliest health crises of our time, claiming more than a million lives every year. This strategy is vital for holding countries accountable for their commitment. Hepatitis elimination will not happen without a concerted effort from all stakeholders, with the active involvement of civil society and the affected community, backed by political will.
Low- and middle-income countries that often have fewest resources and highest disease burden have a mountain to climb to reach elimination. They cannot be expected to these goals alone. The global health and donor community must do more to support their efforts and health systems must integrate hepatitis elimination throughout their services including cancer prevention and maternal and child health.
Hepatitis Can’t Wait.