Dates: 26 May 2021
On the sidelines of the seventy-fourth World Health Assembly, the Hepatitis Online Series are three one-hour live sessions bringing together key contributions in the hepatitis space from which to learn from. Building on experiences and lessons learned from countries and stakeholders, this series aims to explore considerations for stakeholders to learn from as they continue to elaborate and implement future policies on viral hepatitis.
At the 2016 World Health Assembly, Member States of the World Health Organization adopted the Global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis 2016-2021 (GHSSVH). This strategy sets the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030, linking this objective to targets: (1) reduce the number of deaths by 65%, (2) reduce the number of new infections by 90%, and (3) increase treatment rates of diagnosed individuals to 80%. As the five-year strategy comes to a term, it is now time to evaluate our progress towards elimination and to take stock of lessons learned over the past half-decade.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected HCV programme responses, forcing us to adapt. We cannot take past gains for granted, nor can we afford a complacent attitude and assume that the pre-COVID-19 momentum will automatically return. Fortunately, we approach the next decade with a wealth of knowledge and tools to reach the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030:
Wednesday 26 May, 13.00-14.00 CET
The World Health Organization (WHO), Unitaid and the Medicines Patent Pool are hosting a session focusing on access to hepatitis C treatment in low- and middle-income countries and exploring insights into key aspects of successful plans from countries and partners for tackling viral hepatitis.
Click below to access the full agenda
Thursday 27 May, 13.00-14.00 CET
The Hepatitis Fund and the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with WHO, are delighted to invite you to participate in an online event focused on financing the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat.
Register here
Friday 28 May, 13.00-14.00 CET
During this session hosted by Coalition Plus and Unitaid, community and government representatives will present examples of the impact of community-government synergies in HCV responses.
Link to webinar (no registration needed)
Press and Media
The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a United Nations-backed public health organisation working to increase access to and facilitate the development of life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries. Through its innovative business model, MPP partners with civil society, governments, international organisations, industry, patient groups, and other stakeholders to prioritise and license needed medicines and pool intellectual property to encourage generic manufacture and the development of new formulations.
To date, MPP has signed agreements with 22 patent holders for 13 HIV antiretrovirals, one HIV technology platform, three hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals, a tuberculosis treatment, a cancer treatment, four long-acting technologies, a post-partum haemorrhage medicine, three oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 and 16 COVID-19 technologies.
MPP was founded by Unitaid, which continues to be MPP’s main funder. MPP’s work on access to essential medicines is also funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Government of Canada, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Government of Flanders. MPP’s activities in COVID-19 are undertaken with the financial support of the Japanese Government, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the German Agency for International Cooperation, and SDC.