On Friday, July 28th, Action Hepatitis Canada joins hundreds of organizations around the world in observing World Hepatitis Day.
This year's theme is
We're NOT Waiting
By taking part in World Hepatitis Day, you can amplify our call for the Government of Canada, as well as every province and territory, to bring urgency to eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat in Canada by 2030.
We have invited the provinces to join us in taking the "We're Not Waiting" pledge, and make public commitments to the goal of eliminating hepatitis B and C this World Hepatitis Day. We'll share the responses that we receive.
To date: only Saskatchewan has responded. Minister of Health Paul Merriman declared July 28th World Hepatitis Day in the province with an official proclamation.
To date: only Saskatchewan has responded. Minister of Health Paul Merriman declared July 28th World Hepatitis Day in the province with an official proclamation.
TAKE ACTION
Share our "We're Not Waiting" social media content
- Share one of the messages below on social media and include a graphic with it that will resonate with your audience.
- You can also follow us on Twitter at @actionhepcanada and retweet our World Hepatitis Day content.
- Use one or more of the hashtags: #WorldHepatitisDay, #WHD2023, #NOhep, #HepCantWait, #NotWaiting
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WHD Graphics:
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Shareable messages:
The sooner people living with viral hepatitis receive a diagnosis and care, the more likely they are to live a long and healthy life. They can't wait. So neither will we. Learn more at www.actionhepatitiscanada.ca. #WorldHepatitisDay #HepCantWait
Hepatitis B & C don't wait, so neither will we.
We need policies that take a health equity approach to eliminating hepatitis B & C. Now.
Read the recommendations for each province and territory at www.actionhepatitiscanada.ca.
#WorldHepatitisDay #HepCantWait
We're not waiting any longer. Together, we can eliminate hepatitis B and C as a public health threat.
#WorldHepatitisDay #HepCantWait @NO_hep
Hepatitis B doesn't wait, so why do our vaccine programs?
We need birth dose hepatitis B vaccination policies in every province and territory.
Learn more at www.actionhepatitiscanada.ca.
#WorldHepatitisDay #HepCantWait
The sooner people living with viral hepatitis receive a diagnosis and care, the more likely they are to live a long and healthy life. They can't wait. So neither will we. Learn more at www.actionhepatitiscanada.ca. #WorldHepatitisDay #HepCantWait
Hepatitis B & C don't wait, so neither will we.
We need policies that take a health equity approach to eliminating hepatitis B & C. Now.
Read the recommendations for each province and territory at www.actionhepatitiscanada.ca.
#WorldHepatitisDay #HepCantWait
We're not waiting any longer. Together, we can eliminate hepatitis B and C as a public health threat.
#WorldHepatitisDay #HepCantWait @NO_hep
Hepatitis B doesn't wait, so why do our vaccine programs?
We need birth dose hepatitis B vaccination policies in every province and territory.
Learn more at www.actionhepatitiscanada.ca.
#WorldHepatitisDay #HepCantWait
Bonus: tag the federal Health Minister (@CDNMinHealth, @GovCanHealth), PHAC (@PHAC_GC), another politician, political party, and/or add #cdnpoli or the hashtag for politics for your province or territory:
Alberta: @GoAHealth
British Columbia: @PHSAofBC, @adriandix
Manitoba: @MBGov
Newfoundland: @HCS_GovNL
New Brunswick: @Gov_NB
Nova Scotia: @HealthNS, @nshealth
Ontario: @ONThealth
Prince Edward Island: @Health_PEI, @PEIwellness
Quebec: @sante_qc
Saskatchewan: @SaskHealth, @MerrimanPaul
Yukon: @yukonhss, @TracyMcPheeRS
Alberta: @GoAHealth
British Columbia: @PHSAofBC, @adriandix
Manitoba: @MBGov
Newfoundland: @HCS_GovNL
New Brunswick: @Gov_NB
Nova Scotia: @HealthNS, @nshealth
Ontario: @ONThealth
Prince Edward Island: @Health_PEI, @PEIwellness
Quebec: @sante_qc
Saskatchewan: @SaskHealth, @MerrimanPaul
Yukon: @yukonhss, @TracyMcPheeRS
Media Talking Points
Many of our members will get media requests for World Hepatitis Day. You are the expert on your local issues. If you would like to connect that message to the broader messages from our coalition, here are a few suggestions.
Many of our members will get media requests for World Hepatitis Day. You are the expert on your local issues. If you would like to connect that message to the broader messages from our coalition, here are a few suggestions.
- An estimated 204,000 people in Canada were living with chronic hepatitis C as of 2019. [Source]
- Hepatitis B and C are among Canada’s most burdensome infectious diseases – measured in years of life lost and in costs to our healthcare system.
- According to AHC's Progress Report 2023, Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, and the Yukon are not on track to meet the 2030 target for elimination. Policy changes are needed to get on track.
- Systemic inequities impact access to prevention, testing, and treatment, and viral hepatitis disproportionately affects a number of marginalized populations - including Indigenous peoples, some immigrants and newcomers to Canada, people who are incarcerated, people who use drugs, and men who have sex with men.
- As we have seen with COVID, individual efforts cannot curb a viral disease, and some groups are more harshly impacted than others. We must ensure policies are in place to support those who are disproportionately affected by a disease. Elimination is within reach, with targeted government action.
- AHC's federal asks include elimination strategies for the jurisdictions within federal purview, updated evidence-based screening guidelines, encouraging new testing technologies to be made available in Canada, increased funding for harm reduction programs, and improved data collection and sharing, to help us track our progress in elimination.
- AHC's asks to each province and territory vary, and can be found in Progress Report 2023.