Am I Number 12?

The New 'This is hepatitis...' Blog and How You Can Be Involved!

2009-12-09T10:36:03Z

Hi everyone! Sorry for the long silence but I have been submerged in work since I last posted on this blog! (And when I say 'submerged', I'm taking an optimistic view on things - in reality I was drowned by work a long time ago!). Hence, it has been difficult to keep the blog posting activity as up-to-date as I had wished and I'm sorry to inform you that I will be leaving the cyber-scene as blogger. HOWEVER, I bring good news!
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As part of this new blog, the Alliance will be providing 12 people from 12 different countries the chance to tell their personal story through the launch of their own blog as part of the larger 'This is hepatitis...' blog. This is a great opportunity for someone with a personal experience of viral hepatitis to help increase awareness and educate people on what it means to live with hepatitis B and C on a day-to-day basis as well as empowering other people to speak out about their own experiences.

All 12 bloggers will have a dedicated personal blog through which they can regularly post stories and information in their own language about relevant and interesting issues on viral hepatitis.

SO...if you are interested in becoming a blogger on the new 'This is hepatitis...' blog then please let me know and I will pass on your details to the team!

Looking ahead to 2010

2009-09-10T17:05:31Z

So as I mentioned in my post on Ghana on 28th August, I've been really busy recently with a number of projects for the World Hepatitis Day 2010 campaign. I know, it seems like we've only just had World Hepatitis Day this year but you wouldn't believe how much work and planning there is to get done. We really appreciate the feedback that we received from everyone on the 2009 campaign and hope you'll be really pleased with what we have in store for the next year.]]> For a start, there's going to be an exciting new campaign theme for 2010 and 2011. I can't reveal any details yet but more will be announced soon! Also, remember the monthly newsletters from World Hepatitis Alliance to keep everyone up to date on the global campaign for World Hepatitis Day? Well, they're going to have a new look for 2010, as is the global website so keep an eye on that over the next few months.

Just like last year there will be a whole new range of campaign materials including posters and postcards that can be adapted for local activities. We've also been working on projects including the WHO resolution on viral hepatitis, a survey on global hepatitis policy and the '12 Asks' programme.

We've got some great new ideas for World Hepatitis Day 2010 to share with you in the coming months, so stay tuned!

News from Ghana - part 2

2009-09-02T17:15:54Z

So where was I? Oh yes, Ghana! As I mentioned in my last post, I recently returned from Ghana where Achim and I were visiting doctors, politicians, foundations, patients and celebrities to talk about hepatitis B in their region.]]> In a country where one in 10 people are estimated to have hepatitis B (!), it is shocking to find out that there is little awareness about the disease and that unfortunately there are no health programmes that I know of.

Funding seems to be a big problem. From the very start we were told that there was no money in the pot to support a national hepatitis B programme. So, despite being hugely endemic, hepatitis B is not part of Ghana's Health Insurance which means that people need to pay for everything; diagnostic tests, vaccination, viral load tests and treatment. Typically they cannot afford any of these costs. It is certainly a very challenging situation...

But not all is doom and gloom - the good news is that there are many passionate people who are really trying to make a difference and push for change. The Theobald Hepatitis B Foundation and the Hepi Pearl Foundation (led by Miss Ghana), which started last year, are promoting hepatitis B education and lobbying the government to move hepatitis higher on the healthcare agenda. We also met enthusiastic doctors who are doing what they can to help with the resources they have available.

I really enjoyed the experience and am very grateful to everyone I met for taking the time to speak with me.

News from Ghana - part 1

2009-08-28T16:10:05Z

Hi everyone,

I know it's been a while since I last posted anything on the blog but it's been a very busy few weeks. I've been working hard on various projects for World Hepatitis Day 2010, engaging in discussions with the WHO and other organisations and oh, I also went to Ghana to learn more about the hepatitis B issues that they are facing.

]]> (I'm telling you, I'm so tired the shades of black under my eyes are here to stay - they are back with a vengeance and there's no make-up in this world that can get rid of them!)

So, I got back from Ghana last week and all I can say is that it was a truly memorable trip. Achim Kautz, the World Hepatitis Alliance board member for Europe, accompanied me and together we met doctors, politicians, foundations, patients and celebrities.

We conducted presentations on hepatitis B to Ghanaian workers and church-goers, we were interviewed by national newspaper and radio stations, we spoke to the people in the streets and most importantly, we learned a lot (we are now in talks with the people we met to provide adequate help).

In my next post I'll tell you more about this great trip - so watch this space!

Pakistan Goes Big for World Hepatitis Day

2009-07-16T10:41:19Z

When talking about the success of this year's World Hepatitis Day campaign, another country which comes to mind is Pakistan.

]]> They have done such a good job and organised so many activities, it's hard to summarise it all in a post! I'll try to do them justice though...

So, in preparation for World Hepatitis Day, patient groups engaged with government departments and a number of companies on the activities they were planning and the results of these partnerships couldn't have been better:

- Free blood screening sites were set up for the general public
- Campaign billboards were placed in popular locations including roadsides and airports
- Public service messages were aired on local TV channels
- Talk shows about hepatitis and World Hepatitis Day were aired in radio stations including CityFM89, Pakistan's number 1 radio network
- The print and online media featured news on World Hepatitis Day; national celebrities lent their support to the campaign which helped generate impressive coverage. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people were reached!
- Campaign materials were produced in all major languages in Pakistan: Punjab, Pushto, Sindhi, English and Urdu
- Hepatitis awareness flyers were sent to 150,00 Bank Al Falah Ltd card holders
- Flyers were also sent to Karachi Arts Council's 4,000 members

And let's not forget my favourite aspect of their campaign: walking billboards - a great, unique and innovative way of reaching the general public. I absolutely loved their idea and hope to see more of it next year.

A big, actually, a massive well-done to everyone!

Mauritius gets on board for World Hepatitis Day

2009-07-13T14:22:57Z

As you can see from my updates, 'Am I number 12?' was used in many, many countries this year. It even crossed the turquoise waters of Mauritius!

]]> That's right, Mauritius also held events to celebrate World Hepatitis Day. Here are the highlights:

- A meeting was held with the Minister of Health to discuss a Mauritius Declaration on hepatitis as part of the agenda at the World Health Assembly;

- A press conference on May 14th resulted in some excellent press coverage including radio programmes on all stations on May 19th;

- Screenings took place with 1,500 people being tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C to date.

Who'd have thought - an advert featuring a red blood cell and the hep B virus?!...

2009-07-08T14:21:21Z

The German hepatitis groups Deutsche Leberhilfe and Deutsche Leberstiftung were very active and productive in the lead up to World Hepatitis Day 2009.

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In conjunction with press activities to raise awareness of World Hepatitis Day, free liver checks conducted by local hepatologists were offered to the public in over 15 cities. Doctors led patient seminars and local specialists visited newspapers and radio stations, offering a hotline service to the public.

In addition to this a cinema advert campaign, which featured two famous German comedians dressed up as a red blood cell and the hepatitis B virus ran for two weeks in May in over 2000 cinemas across the country, reaching thousands of people! You can see the advert on the World Hepatitis Day You Tube Channel.

The groups also updated the German version of the World Hepatitis Day website, and created a new German profile on www.facebook.com to reach younger audiences online.

Finally, 'Smart Mob' (also known as Flash Mobs) activities were held across several cities in Germany - these included people distributing flyers on hepatitis B and hepatitis C and launching balloons into the sky.

Belgium 'Walks' through World Hepatitis Day

2009-07-07T15:55:06Z

May 19th started with an organised walk to the Brussels Parliament to raise awareness and to lobby the government, followed by a press conference including medical experts and government health ministers.

]]> After the walk, the patient group CHAC (Carrefour Hépatites-Aide et Contact) hosted a dinner and forum with presentations and a debate. Attendees included patient group representatives, doctors and government officials.

Famous caricaturists Jacques Sondron and Philippe Geluck also showed their support for World Hepatitis Day by drawing a cartoon picture to show the risk factors of contracting hepatitis C.

Oui Oui, an impressive programme to mark World Hepatitis Day

The Gulf gets involved with World Hepatitis Day

2009-07-06T15:24:44Z

Another country which participated in World Hepatitis Day this year was Kuwait (cool, huh?).

]]> To mark WHD, 'The National Alliance Against Hepatitis C' hosted a very successful meeting with the Ministry of Health on May 25th to discuss what actions were needed to combat hepatitis in the country. As a result, Kuwait is the second country, following Scotland, to officially sign up to the '12 Asks', after the government announced that it will support six of the '12 Asks' proposed (Hooray!) It is indeed excellent progress to have the Kuwait government on board and supporting local initiatives such as surveillance and public education campaigns.

The meeting was attended by more than 200 people including prominent doctors, laboratory technicians, public health and occupational health employees and government health officials. In addition, delegates from neighbouring countries also attended. Media coverage was widespread, and many national daily newspapers covered the meeting (interestingly in Arabic AND English) and the 'Am I Number 12?' campaign.

Way to go Kuwait!

Colombia joins us for World Hepatitis Day!

2009-07-03T14:18:15Z

The World Hepatitis Alliance was pleased to learn that Colombia had joined our 2009 campaign, increasing South America's participation in World Hepatitis Day - another great achievement of the year, woooo! The 'Fundación Gestión Cultura' organised various events and called on the public, international bodies such as the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Colombian national government to lend their support to World Hepatitis Day.

In total, 28 organisations in 25 cities joined in the World Hepatitis Day activities, organising 120 information stands and a national roundtable to address the Colombian Congress and Government. 'Fundación Gestión Cultura' stressed the need for a national viral hepatitis action plan.

In Envigado, the group 'La Vihda SIDA Esperanza' distributed materials on viral hepatitis (10,000 leaflets, 5,000 posters and 10,000 flyers!) in the local Parque del Municipio de Envigado as well as stalls in supermarkets and commercial centres. Finally, in Cucuta, the group 'Luz y esperanza por la vida 'ASOLEV'' held events to promote awareness of hepatitis.

Great great great.

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A big ray of hope in Poland!

2009-07-02T14:56:45Z

In Poland, the 'Star of Hope' Foundation organised a successful World Hepatitis Day with various events planned throughout May.

]]> As you may recall, I met 'Star of Hope' by mere chance at a meeting in Warsaw in March. So when they updated me with their accomplishments I was really pleased to see that, even though they had only two months to prepare for World Hepatitis Day, the outcome of their efforts was really successful.

Information leaflets on viral hepatitis were distributed to over 20 newspapers, television stations and government officials, resulting in an impressive amount of media coverage.

Amongst other awareness raising activities:

• the 'Star of Hope' website was updated to include information on the 'Am I Number 12?' campaign
• on May 23 a meeting of all the Polish liver groups, including the 'Star of Hope' Foundation, 'Hepa-Help ', 'SOSWZW' and 'Fundation Pod PrądŻółtejRzeki', was held and attended by over 200 people!

Ghana successfully calls upon their government to raise awareness for World Hepatitis Day

2009-07-01T15:43:59Z

As you may know from reading my blog Ghana is on the list of countries the World Hepatitis Alliance will be visiting later this year as part of the 'Am I Number 12? - Around the World Tour' Two of the most active patient groups in Ghana; The HEPI Pearl Foundation and the Theobald Hepatitis B Foundation, successfully coordinated many awareness raising activities across Ghana for World Hepatitis Day.

Mawuse Appea, who was crowned Miss Ghana in 2008(!), called on the Ghanaian government to include vaccination against hepatitis B in the National Health Insurance Scheme to ensure Ghanaians get tested and vaccinated. Ms Appea also secured a statement signed by Mr Larry Hagan, Communication Director of the Miss Ghana competition, stating that Ghanaians must get tested to see if they have hepatitis B and even to get vaccinated immediately. A great effort there!

Now, I've been following the progress of these two groups in Ghana since they began and it's so great to see the amazing work that has been done to help patients in Ghana. I'm definitely looking forward to meeting both Mawuse and Theobald to learn more about their projects and the important work they do.

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Egypt flies the flag for World Hepatitis Day...

2009-06-30T15:17:00Z

As you know World Hepatitis Day 2009 is marked around the world by hundreds of patient groups and individuals and the World Hepatitis Alliance was also grateful to receive Egypt participation this year! ]]> Various awareness raising activities were planned by The Association of Liver Patient Care in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the National Committee for Treatment and Prevention of Viral Hepatitis and the Dakalhia Association.

In addition to large-scale screening and widespread events taking place in Egypt, the groups also organised a press conference in Cairo to launch a four-year Government Prevention Campaign, achieving great media coverage in the local and national press.

The Grand Hospital of Egypt also took part in World Hepatitis Day by displaying large banners and flags to raise awareness among doctors, patients and the public.

Congratulations on the great work!

Obama and World Hepatitis Day

2009-06-29T15:31:04Z

I know I should start this post by congratulating the Americans for their fantastic work regarding this year's World Hepatitis Day - they really did an impressive job - but the Brazilian in me really wants to say: Confederations Cup. 3:2. Marvellous. OK, back to business (sorry, I didn't mean to digress, I couldn't help it...)

The Hepatitis B Foundation, in collaboration with the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, sponsored a Congressional briefing on May 19th in Washington to focus on "Chronic Viral hepatitis: A Liver Cancer Story". The meeting was intended to raise awareness of viral hepatitis as a global health problem and to highlight the importance of preventing and treating chronic hepatitis B and C. The briefing was attended by more than 65 individuals, including three members of Congress, staff from 11 Congressional offices, and representatives from five federal agencies, four pharmaceutical companies and 14 different advocacy and health groups.

Hundreds of other activities were coordinated across the country, from New York to San Francisco including:

- President Barack Obama was the first U.S. president to acknowledge World Hepatitis Day by issuing a statement on May 19th, 2009.
- U.S. Senate and House Representatives introduced resolutions, acknowledged World Hepatitis Day and Hepatitis Awareness Month, and called for increased federal action. Two members of the House of Representatives made remarks about hepatitis and World Hepatitis Day on the House floor.
- Hosted by the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health organizations, the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum and the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, held an event focused on improving the domestic and global response for reducing chronic hepatitis B in Asia American, Native American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.
- The Division of Viral Hepatitis at the CDC assisted with promotion of World Hepatitis Day by including a World Hepatitis Day link on their website, an article in the Morbidity and Mortality weekly Report (MMWR) and postings on CDC's Facebook page and Twitter.
- The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) issued a pres release on May 19th calling for the observance of World Hepatitis Day and for increased federal action. The release reached an audience of 9.9 million impressions and achieved over 17 thousand headlines!

So again, well done America!

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Algeria officially marks World Hepatitis Day

2009-06-26T13:46:00Z

Wow, I just heard from Algeria and I have some very exciting news to share with you:

]]> In January, SOS Hépatites Algeria coordinated a successful debate on the World Hepatitis Alliance's '12 Asks' policy and as a result of the meeting, €35 million has now been assigned solely to the management of hepatitis B and C! (I know, 35 million euros, so exciting!). To announce the initiative a large press event was held in April that attracted over 50 journalists.

On May 9th, over 40,000 leaflets and 1,000 'Am I Number 12?' t-shirts were distributed throughout 12 major cities across the country. On World Hepatitis Day, a parliamentary debate on hepatitis was organised by the government in partnership with SOS Hépatites Algeria, and attendees included the President of the Republic, government officials and journalists. Testing centres and an improved national surveillance programme have also been implemented, with May 19th officially recognised as World Hepatitis Day.

Now this is what I call good lobbying, I mean, great lobbying - congratulations!