Today is World Hepatitis Day

Edinburgh’s Grassmarket will become a Scottish focal point today as it joins thousands of events across the globe to mark World Hepatitis Day. 

Voluntary sector health organisations from across the Scottish capital will join together in an afternoon of fun and support for those affected by viral hepatitis, raising awareness of a potentially life-threatening disease - disseminating information on local services and how to get tested and treated.

Organised by The Hepatitis C Trust in collaboration with Hepatitis Scotland, Waverley Care, HIV Scotland, Addaction and with support from the Scottish Government and NHS Lothian, the public event aims to unite service-users and service organisations and members of the public and aims to communicate:

• how to prevent disease progression and infection
• the need for de-stigmatisation i.e. for people to step forward for testing
• treatment options for people affected by it.

Viral hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver and can lead to serious illness and death if left untreated. It is a major health problem across the world, with one in 12 of the global population currently living with hepatitis and one million people dying every year – that’s one every 30 seconds – as a result.

Through the development of the Hepatitis C Action Plan, the Scottish Government have long been recognised as providing a world leading response to viral hepatitis and are committed to supporting best quality, joined-up treatment and prevention services.
However more than half the estimated 50,000 people in Scotland exposed to hepatitis C have not been diagnosed so do not know they are carrying it.

Experts reckon that 39,000 of the 50,000 in Scotland are thought to have gone on to develop chronic hepatitis C.

Meanwhile, hepatitis B is less prevalent in Scotland than hepatitis C, with an estimated 9,000 people thought to be infected. But there are concerns that this figure could grow.

Hepatitis C is passed on through blood-to-blood contact – mostly through contaminated equipment in activities such as unregulated tattooing and body-piercing, illicit drug injecting and from surgical treatment and transfusions carried out in high-risk overseas settings. There is no immunisation against hepatitis C but there is a cure and treatment is available.

Hepatitis B can also be passed on through blood-to-blood contact and via exchange of contaminated body fluids such as during sex. It can be prevented through immunisation.

During the afternoon’s ‘Big High Tea’ event, members of the public will be invited to participate in a ‘Joyworks’ Laughter Workshop, underlining how laughter can release feel-good endorphins. Participants will be joined by CEO of the The Hepatitis C Trust and President of the World Hepatitis Alliance, Charles Gore, Hepatitis Scotland’s Leon Wylie and Dr John Dillon from Ninewells Hospital and Medical School.

Paper lanterns will be set off into the sky to mark the poignant annual event.

2011 is the first year of official endorsement of World Hepatitis Day by the World Health Organisation under the banner ‘Hepatitis affects everyone, everywhere. Know it. Confront it.’, in recognition of the global impact of viral hepatitis on people world-wide and how it can affect us all.