These landmarks, among others across Victoria and Australia, will don the colour of health on July 28 to remind people of an urgent mission: the fight against hepatitis.
With over 335,000 people living with hepatitis B or C in Australia, time is of the essence.
“This World Hepatitis Day, we’re raising awareness and encouraging Australians to get tested and treated,” the organisation said.
The stakes are high; hepatitis B and C, when left untreated, can lead to liver disease and liver cancer, which is currently the fastest-growing cause of cancer deaths in Australia.
Despite the availability of an effective vaccine and treatments for hepatitis B, nearly one in 100 Australians live with the disease, while hepatitis C — curable in most cases within eight to 12 weeks — still affects over 115,000 Australians.
The scenario in the Shepparton Primary Health Network area paints a stark picture: 736 people live with chronic hepatitis C, and a mere 36 per cent are being treated.
Meanwhile,of the 363 individuals living with chronic hepatitis B, a paltry eight per cent are under treatment.
The overarching theme for this year’s World Hepatitis Day, ‘#Hepatitis Can’t Wait’, encapsulates this urgency.
The campaign unites the World Hepatitis Alliance, the World Health Organization, and a global network of more than 300 members across nearly 100 countries.
It underscores the need for swift, decisive action in combating hepatitis, a disease that globally claims a life every 30 seconds.
“We are calling on people from across Victoria to get involved, take action on testing and treatment, and raise awareness of hepatitis,” LiverWELL chief executive Elaine Montegriffo said.
“The global hepatitis elimination goal of 2030 can only be reached if we focus on the urgent action needed from all stakeholders and the community to insist that decision-makers prioritise the elimination of viral hepatitis.”
