Experts call for increased focus on hepatitis

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2008

GENEVA (AFP) — Chronic hepatitis, which infects 10 times more people than HIV, should be given the same attention such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, the World Hepatitis Alliance said Monday.

"Although it is estimated that 500 million, approximately one in 12 people are infected with either chronic viral hepatitis B or C globally, there is a serious lack of awareness and political will to tackle these diseases" said the group on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the World Health Organisation.

Some 1.5 million people die every year from a hepatitis disease, making it "one of the biggest threats to global health," the non-governmental group said.

"We need to give these diseases the same visibility as for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria," said Charles...