MAY/JUNE 2020: VOL 45 OICE hep YourV magazine from the World Hepatitis Alliance WHA members inspire during COVID-19 pandemic hepinion: What COVID-19 teaches us about infectious diseases and what we can learn from viral hepatitis World Hepatitis Day website and campaign materials launched WALL OF STORIES “My passion for preventing hepatitis B will live on even after I die” hep VOICE MAY/JUNE 2020 1 NOTE FROM OUR CEO Contents Stay connected www.worldhepatitisalliance.org Welcome to hepVoice. Regulars [email protected] I hope that you and your loved ones continue to remain safe and well during the ongoing 4 hepHeadlines www.facebook.com/worldhepalliance COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on all of us, as well as 8 Dates for the diary @Hep_Alliance the many vital services delivered by hepatitis organisations around the world. However civil Features @worldhepatitisalliance society and community-led organisations are remarkably resilient, and I have been inspired by 10 WHA members inspire the ways in which many of you have adapted to during COVID-19 pandemic continue serving your communities at an incredibly challenging time. You can read about some of our 12 NOhep launches World Want to contribute? members’ recent activities on page 10. This is purely Hepatitis Day open letter a snapshot of the brilliant work that has been We welcome your contributions taking place around the world. I am sure all of so please get in touch at 14 WHA hosts COVID-19 webinars you have been doing all you can to support your [email protected] communities. to have your news and stories 16 : What COVID-19 hepinion included in future issues and World Hepatitis Day (WHD) is now just around the teaches us about infectious diseases and what we can learn feel free to share this magazine corner. While there is no doubt that this year’s from viral hepatitis with your network. WHD will be very different to those of the past, it is as important as ever that we raise our voices Don’t 20 World Hepatitis Day: time to and join together to find the missing millions. miss out #FindTheMissingMillions - receive Read more about our new open letter, which will hepVoice be sent to every Ministry of Health in the world New estimates highlight straight after World Hepatitis Day, on page 12. You can also 22 need to step up response to to your find out more about the many other ways you hepatitis D inbox! can get involved and make the most of the day on page 20. I look forward to hearing about your WHD 24 Find the Missing Millions activities soon; please let us know what you have in-country programme update planned by getting in touch. 26 Find the Missing Millions: inspiration from Egypt 28 Wall of stories: Alice’s story Cary James 2 hep VOICE MAY/JUNE 2020 hep VOICE MAY/JUNE 2020 3 hep headlines Hepatitis is regularly making the news thanks to the efforts of WHA members. Here are a few highlights. Inventor of hepatitis the hepatitis C virus the advancement of C cure wins from reproducing, in medicine on prestigious award 2007 and the drug every front. was approved for use in 2013. It is thought “The Cameron Prize that more than 95 per for Therapeutics cent of people living recognizes how with the most common science has been form of hepatitis C able to solve critical Infant immune percentage of babies Study author Niklas can be cured by the medical challenges system may be able who contract hepatitis Björkström said: “The treatment. for the betterment of to fight off hepatitis C B from their mothers immune system of the mankind, and it is for in the womb during pregnancy healthy babies shows Expressing his deep this recognition that I or birth. similar changes to honour for being am truly appreciative.” A new study conducted that in babies infected selected for the by researchers in Researchers compared with hepatitis C. This Dr Sofia’s focus is Dr Michael J Sofia, the award, Dr Sofia said: Sweden indicates that the immune systems of could suggest that now on discovering, medicinal chemist who “It is humbling to be the immune systems of babies born to mothers the immune cells developing a cure for devised the antiviral counted among those babies born to mothers with hepatitis C who have encountered the chronic hepatitis B. drug sofosbuvir, has who have transformed living with hepatitis had not themselves virus in the womb and medicine over contracted the virus to managed to eliminate been awarded the Read more here. C may be able to kill prestigious University the years. off the virus during the immune systems of it before birth.” of Edinburgh Cameron gestation. This could babies who had. Both “Today, as we are Prize for Therapeutics. explain why only five sets of babies had Researchers are faced with the spectre per cent of infants born adaptations in their B hopeful that this of a global pandemic, Dr Sofia developed to mothers who have lymphocytes, immune discovery could lead we are reminded that sofosbuvir, which hepatitis C contract cells that produce to improvements in we must continue to works by stopping the virus, a relatively antibodies that can hepatitis C treatment commit ourselves to small proportion identify and root out and prevention. compared to the foreign pathogens. Read more here. 4 hep VOICE MAY/JUNE 2020 hep VOICE MAY/JUNE 2020 5 Spike in hepatitis E and multifaceted examines the lived deaths in Namibia response to contain the experience of people NOhep launches disease. Most informal diagnosed with chronic settlements in the hepatitis B has revealed country are at risk of the extent to which new website outbreaks of the virus living with the virus due to poor sanitation impacts them. and a lack of access to safe drinking water. From fear and anxiety to stigma and Informal settlements Efforts to improve discrimination, the in Namibia have been sanitation and water paper highlights the hit by a sharp increase facilities, including psychosocial impact of in hepatitis E cases health education on chronic hepatitis B on and deaths, with more hand washing and the patients. than 7,500 suspected use of alcohol-based infections. sanitisers, have been The paper also intensified. Shangula spotlights the roles that Describing the is hopeful that such the research community outbreak, Namibian efforts will not only can play in taking into health minister help combat hepatitis account and mitigating Kalumbi Shangula E, but also COVID-19. these factors, and said: “The cumulative highlights how to NOhep, the global The site is packed with total of hepatitis E Read more here. the development of movement to eliminate information, materials, cases currently stands a cure for chronic viral hepatitis by 2030, top tips and case New paper highlights hepatitis B could go at 7,587, of which has a brand new website studies to help you raise 1,937 are laboratory- impact of chronic a long way towards confirmed, while hepatitis B on people alleviating many of the to help you kick-start your awareness and advocate 4,410 are epidemic- living with the virus psychosocial impacts of journey towards helping for the elimination of viral linked, and 1,240 are the virus. achieve NOhep and hepatitis in your country. still being treated as suspected cases. Read more here. saving lives. To date hepatitis E deaths stand at 65, of Visit the site now at www.nohep.org which 26 are maternal deaths.” Shangula said that the government is looking A new collaborative at a multisectoral research paper which 6 hep VOICE MAY/JUNE 2020 hep VOICE MAY/JUNE 2020 7 Participating in a hepatitis related activity or have an event planned? Email us on [email protected] or contact us on social media. 27 - 29 auGUST The Digital International Liver Congress Given the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Dates for the Diary resulting restrictions, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) has decided to transition the onsite International Upcoming events and activities taking place in the Liver Congress 2020, planned for 25–28 August, to a digital event coming months. –The Digital International Liver Congress 2020, which will be held between 27–29 August 2020. 28 juLY The Digital International Liver Congress2020 will be an innovative and engaging digital event for the liver community to connect World Hepatitis Day and learn via cutting-edge content. Find out more here. 28 July is the biggest day in the hepatitis calendar - it’s World Hepatitis Day! Worldwide, 290 million people are living with SEPTemBER viral hepatitis unaware. Without finding the undiagnosed and 10- 12 linking them to care, millions will continue to suffer, and lives Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA) 2020 will be lost. On World Hepatitis Day we call on people from The Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA) is going virtual! across the world to take action and raise awareness to find the COLDA 2020 aims at empowering African healthcare “missing millions”. professionals (HCPs) to diagnose, prevent, treat, and achieve a Visit the World Hepatitis Day website to find out more and cure for liver diseases for the benefit of patients in Africa. learn how you can get involved. Don’t forget to use Please visit the meeting website for more information on abstract #WorldHepatitisDay on social media to help us reach as many submission and discounted registration fees: www.COLDA.org people as possible! 9 auGUST International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in the world, living across 90 countries.