‘Beyond policy-level interventions against Hepatitis important’

New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday called for beyond policy-level interventions against Hepatitis, including intensive advocacy and information sharing against the disease.

Hepatitis continues to kill over 4 lakh people and infect millions other in Southeast Asian region every year. July 28 is World Hepatitis Day.

The WHO said that to achieve and overcome barriers, eliminate Hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, as per regional and global targets, enhanced awareness and understanding of how to prevent, treat and manage the disease is vital.

"Health authorities across the region can increase the prominence of hepatitis-related information and advocacy. Clear, concise and accurate messaging regarding how Hepatitis infection can be prevented, what its signs and symptoms are and how it can be treated is essential to empowering people to take action," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for Southeast Asia in a statement.

"Each of us can contribute to raising awareness and helping eliminate the disease in our own way. We can share our experiences of hepatitis infection openly, challenging social taboos," said Khetrapal.

Indian Society for Clinical Research (ISCR) said "a major focus area for Hepatitis is treatments with new drugs and therapies for people with chronic Hepatitis".

"This goal can be achieved, but a lot more effort needs to be made in terms of hepatitis clinical research, particularly in India which carries a high burden of this disease group," said ISCR in a statement.