Principle one: Educate Peers
You educate peers that elimination of viral hepatitis is achievable
Educating peers
You educate peers on medical and public health advances, ensuring they understand that the control of hepatitis B and elimination of hepatitis C are feasible and achievable through a combination of prevention, testing and treatment initiatives, and that they have an active role to play in this fight.
Why?
Many healthcare professionals are still unaware that elimination of viral hepatitis as a public threat by 2030 – specifically control of hepatitis B and elimination of hepatitis C – is both feasible and achievable through a combination of prevention, testing and treatment initiatives.
What?
Control of viral hepatitis may be achieved through:
- Prevention
- Testing
- Treatment
How?
Here are four quick steps to get you started:
- Hold a meeting or informal conversation with a colleague to discuss what more you can do to combat viral hepatitis.
- Deliver a presentation to colleagues on opportunities for action – and consider inviting an expert guest speaker to discuss the latest clinical and public health developments and innovations in the fight against viral hepatitis.
- Share interesting and relevant media and social media content with your peers, highlighting action on viral hepatitis elimination.
- Create an interdisciplinary group of colleagues and peers to meet regularly and exchange knowledge and experiences.
Case Study
Dr Norah Terrault
Recognising the detrimental impact of hepatitis C on both her patients and the healthcare system in California, USA, leading hepatologist Dr Terrault rolled-out a community-wide educational project. Her goal was to educate local healthcare workers in an effort to increase diagnosis, support linkage to care and raise awareness.
Read the full case study
What is advocacy
Advocacy is about demanding action from those that make decisions or able to make change.
Why is hepatitis so neglected?
Unfortunately, resources for hepatitis are limited and do not meet the demand. Resource allocation is often determined by what is happening globally, the loudest voices and what is trending.
Other resources
- Use the roadmap to elimination discussion guide as a resource to support your conversations with peers and colleagues. This outlines key messages and data, including WHO’s Global Health Sector Strategy targets, associated with achieving viral hepatitis elimination and provides a framework and flow to enable the presentation of a credible ‘elimination story’.
- Educate your peers on the key recommendations from the WHO guidelines for chronic hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections, which are the foundation of control and elimination of viral hepatitis. Download copies of the hepatitis B and hepatitis C guidelines to share in your clinical practice or workplace.