The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand is a signatory to an Australian action plan for eliminating hepatitis B and hepatitis C by 2030. Conceived by a collaboration of leading Australian research, advocacy and community bodies including Hepatitis Australia, the Doherty Institute, Kirby Institute, Australasian Hepatology Association and Burnet, the action plan spells out six actions the Australian government can take by the end of 2022.
These actions include:
Allocating additional investment to find and treat 50,000 people living with hep C
Partnering with people impacted by hepatitis B in national policy development and implementation
Reaffirming Australia’s commitment to the 2030 viral hepatitis elimination goal
Prioritising viral hepatitis in the Medical Research Future Fund, and
Include communicable disease prevention and responses in the Primary Health Care 10-year plan
The plan was announced at the recent Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference in Brisbane.
Hepatitis Foundation CEO Susan Hay is pleased to see the NZ Ministry of Health has launched a hepatitis C action plan, and looks forward to similar support for the foundation's hepatitis B action plan to help reduce the lifelong harmful effects of viral hepatitis for all New Zealanders.
