World Hepatitis Day is celebrated on July 28 to create awareness among masses about the viral disease. The hepatitis virus has five strains like A, B, C, D and E and cause liver disease.
History
The World Health Organisation started this campaign with the aim to make the world free of hepatitis. The World Hepatitis Alliance was created in 2007 and the first community-organised World Hepatitis Day was seen in 2008. It was in 1967 when American Physician Baruch Samuel Blumberg found Hepatitis B virus. In order to honour the Nobel Prize-winning scientist, July 28, which is his birthday was chosen to be as World Hepatitis Day.
Importance
The day is celebrated to create awareness about the different forms of hepatitis and how they get transmitted.The day also aims to improve the management, detection, and prevention of viral hepatitis as well as related diseases to the same.
The day sends a reminder of the importance of increasing hepatitis B vaccination rates.
