The Auckland Statement on Viral Hepatitis

The Auckland Statement Monday 10 September 2012, 8:43AM

Media release from The Auckland Statement

Viral hepatitis is an urgent health concern needing immediate action to prevent new infections and to prevent the rising burden of cirrhosis and liver cancer - and avoidable deaths.
In Australia and New Zealand alone, there are half a million stories of people living with hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Every single day 50 more New Zealanders and Australians are diagnosed with chronic viral hepatitis and more and more people are dying from cirrhosis and liver cancer each year. We have the capacity, knowledge and tools to tackle viral hepatitis head-on. We know what needs to be done. It is time for action and that is why we are calling on parliamentarians, responsible Ministers, health departments, and others to act now to prevent new infections and prevent avoidable deaths.

Our targets by 2016, are to:

• Halve the incidence of new hepatitis C infections by doubling the amount of new injecting equipment distributed in the general community and implementing NSPs in prisons apply consistent approaches to funding hepatitis B vaccinations for all those at greatest risk ensure at least 80% of all people living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C are diagnosed guarantee that 5% of people living with hepatitis C receive antiviral treatment each year guarantee that 10% of people living with hepatitis B receive antiviral treatment.
• A substantial scaling up of resources and efforts is needed to stop these epidemics in their tracks - otherwise liver cancer will continue to be one of the fastest increasing causes of cancer death in Australia and New Zealand. Achieving our targets will require resolute leadership,respect for human rights, a focus on those at greatest risk and in greatest need, supportive legal frameworks and a society which tolerates diversity and does not discriminate against those at risk of, or living with viral hepatitis. Those most affected by viral hepatitis often experience significant barriers to accessing health care, these include: people who inject or have injected drugs, people born overseas in countries with widespread viral hepatitis infection, Maori, Pacific Islander, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. While these are groups most at risk of, or most affected by viral hepatitis, achieving the prevention and treatment targets in this Statement is a human rights obligation for all Australians and New Zealanders.

SEPTEMBER 2012

THE 8TH AUSTRALASIAN VIRAL HEPATITIS CONFERENCE CALLS FOR URGENT
ACTION TO PREVENT NEW INFECTIONS AND STOP THE RISING DEATH TOLL.

• Ensure full and free access to evidence-based and effectiveviral hepatitis prevention by maximising the effectiveness ofNSPs/NEPs, removing barriers to peer distribution of injectingequipment, providing access to new injecting equipment in prisons and adequately funding peer education among peoplewho inject drugs. Access to funded hepatitis B vaccination forthose at greatest risk of infection must be improved throughinclusion in nationally consistent immunisation schemes.Improve early diagnosis and timely access to qualitytreatment, care and support for all in need by reducing thenumber of people with viral hepatitis who remain undiagnosedor unaware of how treatment can improve and extend their lives.
• To create an effective, ethical and humane response to viralhepatitis we must enhance access to diagnosis, treatmentand care delivered in the most appropriate settings.Speed up action to improve community understanding ofviral hepatitis by ensuring information on how to avoid infectionis freely available, facilitating open discussion, engendering moresupportive community attitudes, reducing stigma and discriminationand increasing support for evidence-based public health policies.
• Drive progress towards our targets as action and change inmany areas is required and a failure to act in any one area willhold back overall progress.

To achieve our targets we must:

• Ensure a policy and legal environment that is focused onending the stigma and discrimination routinely experienced bythose at greatest risk of, and living with, viral hepatitis. Laws andpractices that criminalise or treat people without basic dignity orhuman rights, have no place in an effective response to viral hepatitis.
• Acknowledge the size of the epidemics and commit to thelevel of strategic and long-term investment required to curbnew infections, increase timely access to quality treatment andcare for all in need and end the rising death toll.
• Foster strong vision, commitment and leadership on viralhepatitis at all levels that is maintained over the long-term andstrategically focused on the areas of highest need.
• Commit fundamentally to the principles of genuinepartnership which first and foremost requires meaningfulengagement with the people at greatest risk of, and living with, viral hepatitis to ensure an effective response. A commitment topartnership between the affected communities, governments,health and social services and researchers must underpin theagenda for action and change on viral hepatitis.

THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW! Sign on now at www.aucklandstatement.com

There are many challenges ahead, but the time to act is now. A failure to act now would see a steadily increasing number of people infected and a rising number of deaths from liver failure and cancer.

The 8th Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conferencecalls on parliamentarians,governments, health professionals and all members of the community to accept the challenge to create an effective and humane response to viral hepatitis in full partnership with the affected communities. Sign on now and be part of our agenda to change the face of viral hepatitis. Stop new infections. Stop the rising death toll.

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