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WORLD GASTROENTEROLOGY NEWS OCTOBER 2018
Editorial | Expert Point of View | Gastro 2018 | WDHD News | WGO & WGOF News | WGO Global Guidelines | Calendar of Events
bring about the awareness of the
global burden of viral hepatitis, with
the primary campaign goal of eliminating
viral hepatitis by 2030.
The theme for this year is “Eliminate
Hepatitis” and the campaign for
2018 focuses on “Finding the Missing
Millions”, a three-year global awareness
raising and advocacy campaign
aimed at tackling the main barriers
to diagnosis by putting civil society
organizations and the affected community
at the heart of the solution. All of
which will contribute towards progressing
WHO’s elimination target of a 30%
diagnosis rate by 2020.
What is Viral Hepatitis?
“Acute viral hepatitis (AVH) is a systemic
infection predominantly affecting
the liver. It is most often caused
by viruses that are hepatotropic (hepatitis
A, B, C, D, and E). Other viral
infections may also occasionally affect
the liver, such as cytomegalovirus
(CMV), herpes simplex, coxsackievirus,
and adenovirus. Whereas hepatitis
A and E are self-limiting, infection
with hepatitis C and to a lesser extent
hepatitis B usually become chronic”
- Read more from the WGO Acute
Viral Hepatitis Guideline.
“Viral hepatitis and its consequences
(cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer,
death), have been ignored far too
long. Hepatitis B and C alone affect
over 1 in 12 of the world’s population
and cause more chronic disease and
death than HIV, TB or malaria. Both
hepatitis B and C are preventable
and hepatitis C can be cured. Several
countries have made it national policy
to completely eliminate hepatitis C,
including Georgia, Mongolia, Egypt,
Pakistan, Portugal and Australia. It is
time to unite and decide to eliminate
hepatitis C globally. But to accomplish
this, we must first identify the
over 70% of infected patients who
do not even know that they have
hepatitis C. I strongly support World
Hepatitis Day and the WHO initiative
over the next three years “Find
the Missing Millions” as the first step
to achieving this goal.
At the same time we must not forget
hepatitis B which affects many millions
more and dedicate ourselves to
eliminating hepatitis B. We must push
for final true universal vaccination,
including the birth dose, with a vaccine
that has been available since 1982!
Then, like smallpox before it and
polio, now down to fewer than 100
new cases in only 2 countries worldwide,
hepatitis B can become part of
our ancient medical history.
- Douglas R. LaBrecque, Past Chair,
WGO Hepatology Interest Group
World Digestive Health Day 2018
- Viral Hepatitis, B and C: Lift the
Global Burden
The World Gastroenterology Organisation
(WGO) is raising awareness
of Viral Hepatitis, B and C in 2018
through its annual public advocacy
and awareness campaign, World Digestive
Health Day (WDHD).
WDHD is celebrated each year on
May 29th with associated activities
and initiatives continuing throughout
and beyond the campaign year.
WDHD will provide gastroenterologists,
their patients and the public,
with an understanding of the prevention,
prevalence, diagnosis, management
and/or treatment of Viral Hepatitis,
B and C. The campaign is led by
Brian McMahon, MD (U.S.A.) and
Yun-Fan Liaw, MD (Taiwan). Read a
message from the Co-Chairs here!
Remember that World Digestive
Health Day events are happening year
round! Submit your World Digestive
Health Day Event at www.worldgastroenterology.
org/forms/submit-event.
php.
“Worldwide viral hepatitis is one
of the leading causes of morbidity
and life lost. The WHO has set goals
to eliminate hepatitis B and C by
2030. To accomplish these goals, a
concerted effort from governments,
public health leaders and the public
(civil society) will be needed. Sources
of funding and experts to implement
vaccination of all infants starting
with a birth dose worldwide, to train
providers to diagnose, link persons
chronically infected with hepatitis B
and C to care and treatment will be
keys to achieving these goals. In addition,
public awareness regarding the
importance and seriousness of viral
hepatitis, the keys to prevent infection
through vaccination and other
preventive measures and the awareness
that viral hepatitis B can be treated
and hepatitis C cured.”
-Brian J. McMahon, MD, WDHD
2018 Co-Chair
WGO Training Centers
Since 2001, over 3,400 professionals
have received training through
the various educational programs
offered at the WGO Training Centers.
Located in developing countries
throughout the world, each WGO
Training Center provides trainees
with the opportunity to enhance their
skills and further their education in
gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy,
oncology, and GI surgery. Each
Center offers comprehensive training,
ranging from multi-day workshops on
special topics to four-year sub-specialty
internships that include theoretical
courses and practical applications
of techniques. The Training Centers
promulgate locally relevant knowledge
and develop appropriate skills among
medical practitioners and health care
workers from low-resource countries.
Public Awareness Walk.