The World Hepatitis Summit 2022 was held from 6th to 10th June. 2022 at The Kofi A. Annan Conference Room, WHO/UNAIDS Building, Geneva, Switzerland. A global audience of civil society groups, World Health Organization and its Member States, patient organisations from the World Hepatitis Alliance’s 318-member groups from more than 100 countries, people living with viral hepatitis B and C, policy-makers, public health scientists and funders had come together virtually and in-person in Geneva, to galvanize the global response to viral hepatitis. The World Hepatitis Summit is organized by World Hepatitis Alliance(WHA) and co-sponsored by World Health Organization (WHO).
World Hepatitis Summit 2022 opens with a high-level panel discussion featuring Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO); Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Charles Gore, Founder President World Hepatitis Alliance, at present Executive Director, Medicines Patent Pool, Geneva.
Prof. Mohammad Ali, Secretary General of National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh (NLFB) attended the summit in person and share his thoughts regarding viral hepatitis elimination by 2030. Zunaid Murshed Paiker, Chief Coordinator, NLFB also attended the summit.
Prof. Ali participated as Speaker in a session that discussed the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of hepatitis B. Participants of the session included Chukwuemeka Agwuocha, Senior Associate, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Nafisa Yussf, Social Researcher, WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, The Doherty Institute, Australia and Devin Razavi-Shearer, Center for Disease Analysis Foundation, USA.
Prof. Ali highlighted “Vaccinations are the best way to control mother-to-child transmission infection” and “Gynecologists and Obstetricians should play a vital role in preventing PMTCT, as well as Women and children's organizations.”
Prof. Ali attended the panel discussion on Hepatitis and the sustainable development goals (SDGs) hosted by Cary James, CEO, World Hepatitis Alliance. Other panellists are Julia Tainijoki Seyer, World Medical Association, Dr Justin Koonin, UHC2030, Australia, Dr José M. Zuniga, IAPAC and Fast-Track Cities Institute, USA, Doug Webb, UNDP, USA, Professor Mohammad Ali, National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh, Bangladesh and Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite, UNITE - Global Parliamentarians Network, Portugal
Prof Ali said, “SDGs goals are intimately related, fulfilment of one affect others. Implementation of SDGs should have with priorities as investment in Viral hepatitis control by the Governments.” He further said. “It will effectively contribute to reach the elimination goals rapidly.”
He also told that NLFB Stand by the disadvantaged communities in Bangladesh, especially for viral hepatitis issues and
also worked for Rohingya Refugees for awareness, testing and conducted a study.
He also participated as a panelist in the event on “How crowdsourcing can enhance public engagement in hepatitis services” organized by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. (LSHTM) at The Hepatitis Fund Headquarter, Geneva. This event was attended by Charles Gore, Executive Director, Medicines Patent Pool, Dr Meg Doherty Director, Global Hepatitis Program, Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programmes, World Health Organization, Dr. Funmi Lesi (WHO), Joseph Tucker, UNC, LSHTM, Jessica Hicks, World Hepatitis Alliance, Dan Wu (LSHTM, Sichuan University), Eneyi Kpokiri (LSHTM), Nalinikanta Rajkumar, President of Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE), India, Dr. Rita Atugonza, Uganda Ministry of Health, Vivekanandan Shanmugam, Liver Transplant Society of India, Dr. Aninda Rahman, DPM, CDC, Bangladesh, Dr. Tasnia Noor Salim, President Bangladesh Medical Student Society (BMSS), Chris Munoz, Philippines & Zunaid Morshed Paiker, Chief Coordinator, NLFB.
Prof Ali put special emphasis on innovative awareness-building programmes of NLFB in Bangladesh since long time, aiming to reach the unreachable & grass-root activation which is essential to achieve elimination 2030.
Mr. Zunaid Murshed Paiker highlighted the viral hepatitis activities of NLFB and the importance of crowdsourcing initiatives in his oral presentation.
Dr. Tasnia Noor Salim, emphasized the need to engage the youth community on viral hepatitis awareness in Bangladesh.
Dr. Tasnia Noor Salim also chaired a virtual session on Youth Can’t Wait along with Matthew Bonn, Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs. This session was attended by David Urick, Community Living Network, USA, Charles Ampong Adjei, University of Ghana, Ghana, Anika Martin, Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, USA, Ronni Marks, The Hepatitis C Mentor and Support Group, USA, Wole Ameyan, WHO, Switzerland and Professor Manal El Sayed, Ain Shams University, Egypt
Two posters and video presentation by Prof. Mohammad Ali were also highlighted on the virtual portal of the summit titled “Decentralization of viral hepatitis awareness in Bangladesh as Regional Hepatitis Days” and “Find the Missing Millions Campaign in Bangladesh” which were highly appreciated and discussed by the distinguished participants from around the world.
Prof. Mohammad Ali participated as an invited speaker in the Speed-Geeking Sessions of the virtual Pre Summit of World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA) on May 31, 2022. He was one of the six invited speakers from the WHA member organizations of the world. He delivered speeches, six times in six virtually created rooms for different regions of the world.
The rooms were Eastern Mediterranean Region, African Region (English speakers), Western Pacific Region + South-East Asia Region, Pan American Region (English speakers), Spanish Speakers (All regions) and French Speakers (All regions). The speeches were translated into Spanish and French languages. Prof. Ali’s speech was on “Viral Hepatitis Awareness on Regional Hepatitis Days in Bangladesh”.
He highlighted the decentralization of viral hepatitis Awareness, reaching the unreachable and grass-roots activation as vital to reaching global Elimination 2030 goals. A large number of member organizations from the world participated in this interactive pre-summit of WHA.
NLFB team got the opportunity to participate in the 15th Anniversary of the founding of World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), in which NLFB is a member since its initiation.
At this World Hepatitis Summit, the NLFB team had an official meeting with delegates from World Health Organization (WHO), WHO SEARO, World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), Charles Gore, John W. Ward, Director, Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination (CGHE) USA, The Hepatitis Fund, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. (LSHTM), UK, The International Centre for Migration, Health and Development (ICMHD), Geneva.
Photos : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=liver.org.bd&set=a.1928892100644232
