Training Session on WHO and China Guide for Hepatitis C held in Baoshan, Yunnan

Group photo of guests

At the training session

Prof. Wei Lai (chairman of China Liver Health), Dr. Chen Zhongdan from WHO Representative Office in China, secretary Liu Zhongfu from the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention under China CDC, director Li Mingyang from China Liver Health and other experts attended the meeting. Deputy director Li Dongping from the Health Commission of Baoshan delivered a speech. Director Ma Qiang from Baoshan Center for Disease Control and Prevention presided over the meeting.

This event is one of the series of activities of the China Hepatitis C Elimination Alliance Public Welfare Project, with academician Zhuang Hui, a foremost authority on hepatology, serving as the general counsel. Nearly 1,000 healthcare workers have taken part in the training in Chengdu of Sichuan province, Hefei of Anhui province, Tianjin, Wuwei of Gansu province, Xining of Qinghai province, Zunyi of Guizhou province and other places. Based on WHO and national guidelines for hepatitis C prevention and control, the project aims to implement the National Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control Plan (2017-2020) and promote the integration of national hepatitis C screening and management standard with international standards so as to improve the cure rate of hepatitis C and strengthen management of adverse reactions.

Deputy director Li Dongping from the Health Commission of Baoshan delivered a speech.

Director Ma Qiang from Baoshan Center for Disease Control and Prevention presided over the meeting.

Deputy director Li Dongping from the Health Commission of Baoshan expressed gratitude to liver disease experts for their efforts in eliminating hepatitis. She pointed out that eliminating hepatitis C was one of the major tasks in implementing Healthy China 2030 initiative. By actively integrating social resources to jointly promote hepatitis C screening, detection, prevention and treatment, China Hepatitis C Elimination Alliance Public Welfare Project would be an effective attempt for infectious disease prevention and control.

Chairman Wei Lai from China Liver Health announced the Decision on Awarding Baoshan People’s Hospital and Tengchong People’s Hospital the Base Hospital of China Hepatitis C Elimination Alliance Public Welfare Project and conferred the plaque to vice president Chen Wenli from Baoshan People’s Hospital and vice president Duan Zhijuan from Tengchong People’s Hospital.

Awarding ceremony for Baoshan People’s Hospital

Secretary Liu Zhongfu from the National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention under China CDC and Dr. Chen Zhongdan from WHO representative office in China interpreted the disease burden, prevention and control status of hepatitis C and current challenges in China and worldwide respectively. Deputy director Yue Wei from the department of infectious diseases of the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province introduced the epidemic status and disease burden of hepatitis in Guizhou province. There are about 10 million people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) domestically. According to the Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) on Viral Hepatitis adopted by the World Health Assembly, China should achieve the goal of 90% of HCV infections being diagnosed and 80% of confirmed cases being treated by 2030. In terms of this goal, healthcare workers in China still have a long way to go.

Secretary Liu Zhongfu introduced the epidemic status and prevention

and control progress of hepatitis in China. 

Dr. Chen Zhongdan introduced the global strategy

for viral hepatitis prevention and control.

President Weijia from the Second People's Hospital of Yunnan Province

Director Xiao Mingying from Baoshan People’s Hospital

Director Li Mingyang introduced the China Hepatitis C Elimination Alliance Public Welfare Project.

Director Li Mingyang from China Liver Health said that, under the guidance of Health Commission of Baoshan, the China Hepatitis C Elimination Alliance Public Welfare Project would carry out in-depth cooperation with local hospitals and professional associations, provide supports for primary health care institutions to carry out health education for hepatitis C prevention and control in communities, provide help in the detection and diagnosis of high-risk groups so as to contribute to hepatitis C elimination in Baoshan.

[Background Information]

Viral hepatitis C (referred to as hepatitis C) is a blood-borne and sexually transmitted disease which can progress to severe diseases such as liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, causing serious disease burden to the society and families. Hepatitis C can be completely cured with oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). In China, there are 10 million people infected with HCV. However, due to the insidious onset, insufficient attention from patients, high costs of drugs and other reasons, most of them have not been detected and effectively treated.

The China Hepatitis C Elimination Alliance Public Welfare Project is sponsored by China Liver Health and co-organized by the Research Center of Infectious Diseases under Peking University, Chinese Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control,Peking University Hepatology Institute, the hepatology branch and infectious disease branch of Chinese Medical Association, Hepatology Institute of Jilin Province, Virtual Community of Hepatitis C, and Health Times of People’s Daily. It aims to promote the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C, implement the National Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control Plan (2017-2020), and cooperate with the World Health Organization to reach the strategic goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030.