Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), is organising a campaign to generate awareness about Hepatitis as Qatar along with other countries in the world, is marking the World Hepatitis Day on Thursday.

World Health Organisation (WHO) and its Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office have chosen hepatitis C as the theme for this year with the slogan, “Hepatitis C can be cured: Put hepatitis C medicines within everyone’s reach”.
New medicines to treat hepatitis C known as direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents are available now in Qatar and can cure more than 90% of cases.
The prevalence of Hepatitis C in Qatar is low, as only around 0.8% of population is infected. However, the serious complications of undiagnosed cases namely liver cancer and cirrhosis, make it a critical disease to be detected early and treated.
Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), Qatar Red Crescent, private sector and other national and international agencies, is striving to eliminate hepatitis C in Qatar by 2020. This vision is built on a sound strategy with four pillars; awareness, screening, treatment and follow-up. MOPH in collaboration with HMC and PHCC has implemented a number of awareness raising campaigns. Moreover, screening test for Hepatitis C is implemented in the PHCC health centres.
According to the WHO, viral hepatitis is the seventh-leading cause of death globally. It is responsible for an estimated 1.4 million deaths per year from acute infection and hepatitis?related liver cancer and cirrhosis. Nearly half of this mortality is attributed to hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B.
According to WHO, viral hepatitis affects 400 million people globally and, given the size of the epidemic, anyone and everyone can be at risk. An estimated 95% of people with hepatitis are unaware of their infection. Hepatitis C tests are now available in Qatar which will increase access to hepatitis testing and scaling up hepatitis treatment and care.

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