Your excellency Dr Truong Quoc Cuong, Vice Minister, Ministry of Health

Dear Dr Nguyen Duy Hung, Vice Chairman of Hung Yen Peoples’ Committee

Dear Professor Le Trung Hai, Chairman of Viet Nam Society for Study of Liver diseases

Dear Professor Nguyen Van Kinh, Chairman of Viet Nam Association for Infectious Diseases and Director of national Tropical Diseases

Distinguished guest, colleagues and friends,

Good morning

 

It is my pleasure to join you today to commemorate the World Hepatitis Day 2019” and launch the campaign on “All people join hands to combat hepatitis”.

 

Since 2010, we observe the World Hepatitis Day on 28 July. It provides an opportunity for education and greater understanding of viral hepatitis a global public health problem.

 

Viral hepatitis is a big public health problem both globally and in Viet Nam. Viral hepatitis B and C affect 325 million people worldwide, leading to about 1.4 million deaths a year.

 

In Viet Nam, about 7.8 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B and another one million people are living with chronic hepatitis C. We estimate that about 40,000 people die from fatal disease caused by hepatitis B and C infection in Viet Nam every year.

 

Viral hepatitis is both preventable and treatable.

 

More precisely, viral hepatitis B is preventable by vaccination in early childhood. There are several effective medicines which can prevent progression of chronic hepatitis B.

 

Though there is no available vaccine for viral hepatitis C, current medicine can cure viral hepatitis C infection.

 

With these new scientific developments, the world leaders set a target to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030. It is an ambitious target and achievable.

 

Frankly speaking, there are still big gap to fill in order to show substantive progress towards the 2030 viral hepatitis elimination target.

 

Less than 10% of people living with HBV and HCV know their status.

Less than one third of people diagnosed with HBV and HCV received treatment.

The coverage of hepatitis B vaccination is yet below 75% including birth dose.

 

During World Hepatitis Day 2019 campaign, WHO is urging all countries and partners to promote the theme “Invest in eliminating hepatitis”. 

 

Achieving hepatitis elimination by 2030 will require a major increase in funding for hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment services as part of achieving universal health coverage (UHC).

 

Countries need to ensure that national hepatitis testing and treatment plans include dedicated funding and investments. 

 

Countries and partners need to work together to achieve the most optimal prices for hepatitis drugs and diagnostics to make access possible for more people.

 

Investing in hepatitis is a smart decision for broader health outcomes.

Investing in hepatitis means preventing liver cancer.

Investing in hepatitis can cut global deaths by 5% and increase healthy life years by about 10% by 2030.

Investing in hepatitis will return healthier population in productive age to the society.

 

We call for more investment for hepatitis to keep our people healthy and to save people’ lives.

 

I have learned that Hung Yen is a leading province in Viet Nam increased investment in hepatitis prevention and control

I appreciated leaders of Hung Yen Peoples’ Committee demonstrated its political commitment by approving the provincial plan for viral hepatitis prevention and control 2016-2020, and provincial plan for elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, HBV and syphilis 2019-2020.

 

More than 13,000 people in Hung Yen have been tested for hepatitis and have known their status.

I commended health workers of Hung Yen for their hard work and dedication.

I appreciated people of Hung Yen for their activie participation to hepatitis screening and testing.

 

Please keep this strong momentum.

Please continue to invest in eliminating hepatitis.

Your investment will return with healthier people and more productive Hung Yen.

I hope Hung Yen will be the first province in Viet Nam achieve the target of elimination of viral hepatitis

by 2030.

 

Thank you!