NYC May 19th Viral Hepatitis B & C Advocacy Groups to Address Public on Steps of City Hall, May 19 World Hepatitis Day

NYC Viral Hepatitis B & C Advocacy Groups to Address Public
on Steps of City Hall, May 19 World Hepatitis Day
Event marks 3rd annual World Hepatitis Day and Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month
NEW YORK, NY-–May 10, 2010-–The New York City Hepatitis B Coalition and New York City Hepatitis C Task Forces have joined together for an hour-long awareness event next Wednesday, May 19 at 1pm, on the steps of New York City Hall.
A dynamic lineup of speakers is planned, including NYC Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda Gibbs, clinic-based viral hepatitis service providers, and those living with hepatitis B or C.
“New York City has the highest number of people living with chronic hepatitis B and C in the country and extremely low levels of public and legislative awareness of viral hepatitis,” said Henry Pollack, MD, Scientific Principle Investigator at NYU B Free CEED, a national resource center for the elimination of hepatitis B health disparities among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. “We want people to know about this disease and understand the urgent need for prevention, early detection and disease management.”
According to NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene surveillance reports, over 232,000 New Yorkers are infected with viral hepatitis B or C, a disease that can lead to advanced liver disease or liver cancer and is the leading cause of liver transplants.
These figures are widely believed to be underestimates, since most people with hepatitis infection do not know they have it, and many affected populations may not seek health care. Immigrants from high-prevalence countries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean, as well as the uninsured, injection drug users and those living with HIV are especially vulnerable to viral hepatitis infection, which is known as the “silent killer” because those who have it can live with no symptoms for decades.
World Hepatitis Day is marked across the globe each year on May 19, and May has been designated Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month in many locales including NYC and NY State. Each country, city and community will observe the day and month in a way that most appropriately addresses the problem of viral hepatitis in their region.
For more information or to participate in this event, please contact Justina.Wu@nyumc.org.
About the NYC Hepatitis B Coalition and NYC Hepatitis C Task Forces
The NYC Hepatitis B Coalition and NYC Hepatitis C Task Forces are comprised of health service providers and advocates from over 200 organizations throughout the five boroughs of NYC. Our mission is to raise awareness, increase knowledge, identify and share existing resources, and facilitate opportunities for coordinated efforts to improve viral hepatitis awareness, prevention and management throughout NYC.
Contact:
Justina Wu B Free CEED (212) 263-8198 Justina.Wu@nyumc.org
###