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Hepatitis summit begins "wake-up call" on killer disease
03.09.2015 08:02 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) —
The first World Hepatitis Summit in Glasgow (Scotland) thats been billed as a global «wake-up call» has begun in a bid to tackle the more than 1.4 million lives lost to the disease every year, UN Radio says referring to the WHO (UN World Health Organization) Wed report.
As to the report, the Summit is participated by over 60 countries.
Reportedly, its the first high-level meeting of its kind to focus solely on eradicating the disease, which is a global health threat that affects low- and middle-income countries most. The summit seeks
to give a shot in the arm to the global fight against a major public health threat.
As to the report, with five main virus types, hepatitis has now a planetary reach, killing more than 1.4 million people every year.
The disease affects poor countries the most, with hepatitis B and C together causing around 80 per cent of all liver cancer deaths.
Yet most people living with chronic viral hepatitis are unaware of their infection.
Reportedly, in sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia between up to 10 per cent of the population is chronically infected with hepatitis B. And there are also high rates of hepatitis B infection in the Amazon, along with the southern parts of eastern and central Europe.
Hepatitis C is found worldwide, and WHO says that infection rates are high in Africa and Central and East Asia.
As to the report, the WHO along with the UN partner the World Hepatitis Alliance, want more countries to develop better strategies against the disease.
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