Asia and Pacific Alliance to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis (APAVH)
The Asian Liver Center is currently working with the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create a global hepatitis B initiative.
The Asia and Pacific Alliance to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis (APAVH) is a sustainable global coalition to eliminate the transmission of viral hepatitis, and reduce the complications of chronic viral hepatitis through advocacy, education, vaccination and treatment, and by sharing best practices and development of regional and country-specific goals, and to promote the implementation of WHO regional recommendations.
The goals of APAVH are 1) To reduce chronic hepatitis B virus infection prevalence globally to less than 2% in children 0-15 years of age by the year 2015 (by improving and expanding hepatitis B immunization programs); 2) To increase access to chronic HBV testing and antiviral treatment worldwide to reduce transmission rates and disease mortality and morbidity; 3) To reduce the blood-borne transmission of hepatitis B; 4) To advocate for the elimination of discriminatory practices against persons with chronic viral hepatitis in the school and in the workplace; and 5) To build program sustainability through regional and national hepatitis B advocacy and increased awareness.
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5/7/09, Dr. So with WPRO Regional Director Dr. Shin Young-soo in Manila, Philippines. |
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5/7/09, Dr. So with Repuiblic of the Philippines Senator Pia Cayetano, who spearheaded the Hepatitis B Bill in the Philippines. |
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5/7/09, Dr. So and Alena Groopman, Global Health Coordinator, met with the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization in Manila, Philippines. |
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11/26/08, Dr. So met with the ZeShan Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative Asia to discuss the Asia and Pacific Alliance to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis (APAVH). The ZeShan Foundation announced its $4 million commitment to APAVH at the Clinton Global Initiative Meeting in Hong Kong on December 2, 2008. In photo: Carola Barton, CGI Asia, Dr. Samuel So, Asian Liver Center, Laura Chen, ZeShan Foundation, and Nora Tong, ZeShan Foundation. |
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11/2/08, APAVH Inangural Partners' Meeting in San Francisco, CA. |
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3/11/08, World Health Organization, Geneva. Dr. So met to discuss the progress, gaps, opportunities and challenges in eliminating hepatitis B worldwide with Ms. Daisy Mafubelu, Assistant Director General, Family and Community Health (wearing LIVERight jade ribbon bracelet), Dr. J.M. Okwobele, Director, Dept of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, Dr. Craig Shapiro, Medical Officer, Dept of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, and Dr. Steven T. Wiersma, Associate Director for Science and Global Activities, Division of Viral Hepatitis, CDC (not shown in photo). |
APAVH seeks to create a new sustainable regional coalition to prevent new infections and reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with chronic hepatitis B through education, advocacy, vaccination, and treatment. This regional coalition will be a multi-disciplinary alliance of government agencies, public health practitioners, foundations, policymakers, academia, scientists, patient and advocacy groups, legal professionals, corporations, and the pharmaceutical industry. By focusing on the 41 countries in the Western Pacific and South- East Asia regions that account for 76% of the global burden of chronic HBV infection, APAVH will spearhead the development and advocate for the adoption of comprehensive policies that will ultimately lead to the global elimination of chronic hepatitis B infection. APAVH will serve as a model for replication and expansion to form a comprehensive global initiative.
Global health leaders convened in San Francisco on Sunday, November 2, 2008 for the inangural Partners' Meeting of the Asia and Pacific Alliance to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis (APAVH). View Press Release [English]. View Press Release [Chinese].
The Chinese government will further expand its free Hepatitis B vaccination program to cover children under 15 years old who have not been vaccinated against the disease, Vice Health Minister Zhang Mao announced Thursday, June 18, 2009 at a teleconference.
Jade Ribbon Campaign in China
"Fight Against Hep B Together," a presentation about the Jade Ribbon Campaign in China in 2007 by Linda Zhang, Program Manager at the China Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control.
Hangzhou, China
The Jade Ribbon Campaign in the People's Republic of China was officially launched at the National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference from April 26-30, 2004 in Hangzhou, China. This conference, held in conjunction with the China Centers for Disease Control and the Ministry of Health, featured a keynote speech by Dr. So, addressing "Why Eradicating Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer Should be a National Priority in China." In partnership with the China Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control and provincial CDC and health departments, the Asian Liver Center and the ShinShin Educational Foundation in the U.S. launched a catch-up vaccination program in 2004 to vaccinate about 3,500 grade-school children in the Sichuan province. In 2005, the ALC partnered with the Sun Hung Kai Properties Kwok Foundation Ltd. and the Lui Hac Minh Foundation to provide free vaccinations for more than 100,000 students in China. In this massive program, the ALC provided the faculty, training, staff, lab equipment, educational materials, and vaccines to the region.
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Dr. Samuel So poses with a group of grade-school children in Sichuan who had just been vaccinated. |
Qinghai, China
2006-2007: The Qinghai project 2006-2007 vaccinated and educated approximately 50,000 school age children in 331 schools. The project kicked off on September 5, 2006 and went through April 2007. We achieved an unprecedented 95% vaccination completion rate as well as an 80% increase in hepatitis B prevention education knowledge levels. The program involved collaboration from a variety of government departments and agencies, highlighting the fact that hepatitis B prevention is not only a health concern, but also an educational and social issue.
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Dr. So, Teacher Zhao and ZheShan Foundation Executive Director Ho Wei Chi pose with the classic "3 For Life" sign with students in Qinghai. Because of our catch-up hepatitis B vaccination and education program, by April 2007 these children will no longer have to fear HBV. |
2007-2008: In a continuation of the 2006-2007 Qinghai Project, this year our goal is to complete the vaccination series for 500,000 children and to educate government officials, teachers, and elementary school students about hepatitis B transmission, prevention, and other facets of the disease. Thanks to a generous donation from the Ping and Amy Chao foundation, we will be able to protect future generations from hepatitis B infection.
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Dr. So, Jordan Su, Jonathan Chen and Jay Zhang in front of the WHO vehicle that transported them 800 miles around Qinghai during their visit. Jay and Jonathan are currently working in Qinghai traveling around school by school to reinforce the education effort. In the month of September alone they traveled to 30 schools and met with 6500 students. |
Chengdu, China
Dr. So traveled to Chengdu to deliver the opening keynote address at the China Hepatitis Prevention and Control Conference on November 16, 2006. In his speech, Dr. So gave recommendations for a comprehensive national strategy to eliminate hepatitis B in China, emphasizing the need for an expanded immunization program that would provide free catch-up vaccination for unprotected children and adolescents. Download and read the abstract here (in English).
In addition, Sichuan University held its first Graduate Student Health Forum on November 17, 2006. The ALC was invited to introduce the Jade Ribbon, which was officially adopted to represent their anti-discrimination stance regarding HBV. Read more about the Jade Ribbon in China and the ALC's visit to Sichuan University (in Chinese).
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Graduate students from the Sichuan University gather to learn about the Asian Liver Center's mission at the Graduate Student Health Forum in 2006. |
Many of the ALC’s global outreach efforts take place in China because China has the greatest burden of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the world. One-third of the 350-400 million people in the world with chronic (lifelong) hepatitis B live in China, with the incidence of hepatitis B reaching upwards of 17% in some provinces. Each year, an estimated 500,000 Chinese die of liver cancer or failure caused by hepatitis B.
Dr. So traveled to Beijing, China to speak to students at Tsinghua University on May 21, 2008. As one of China’s most renowned universities, Tsinghua has become an important institution for fostering talent and scientific research. Tsinghua University is one of China's national centers for training engineers and scientists. View the Tsinghua University Report [Chinese] of sunshine volunteer hepatitis B activities and Dr. So's lecture at the University.
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Dr. So lecturing to Tsinghua University students about hepatitis B and liver cancer on May 21, 2008. |
Alena Groopman traveled to Beijing, China to join a round table discussion about using the Jade Ribbon Campaign as a platform for action for education, outreach and awareness of hepatitis B and liver cancer among university students in China. The round table discussion included key stakeholders including the China Ministry of Health, China CDC, ZeShan Foundation, BMS Foundation, China Foundation for Hepatitis Prevention and Control, Asia Pacific Foundation of Newa, Tsinghua University School of Journalishm and Communication, and the ALC. Ms. Groopman gave an overview of the Jade Ribbon Campaign, Team HBV and the Asia and Pacific Alliance to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis.
Philippines
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Panelists at an event in the Philippines speak about the prevalence of Hepatitis B, its relation to liver cancer, and liver cancer causes and prevention. |
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Dr. So presenting to the hepatitis B perintal coordinators in Metro Manila on May 7, 2009. |
In September 2006, the ALC in collaboration with the American Cancer Society established a partnership with the Philippine Cancer Society, the Philippine Department of Health, and the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology to help address the disproportionately high prevalence of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the Philippines. Currently this collaboration is attempting to implement effective strategies in preventing hepatitis B through government health policies, such as updating national newborn vaccination guidelines and increasing public awareness.
In 2007 Republic of the Philippines Senator Pia Cayetano introduced Senate Bill 1060 (National Liver Cancer and Hepatitis-B Awareness Month), which designates the month of February of every year as “National Liver Cancer and Hepatitis-B Awareness Month” in order to draw and raise public attention and awareness about liver cancer and Hepatitis-B and the urgency to prevent and control the disease. In 2008, Senator Cayetano introduced Senate Bill 1654 (Mandatory Hepatitis-B Immunization), which is an act requiring mandatory basic immunization services against hepatitis B for infants, amending for the purpose of Presidential Decree No. 996. Senator Cayetano also introduced Senate Bill 2012, the"Mandatory Hepa-B Immunization Act," which expands the national immunization program by making basic immunization services against hepatitis B mandatory for infants within 24 hours from childbirth. The measure has passed the Senate but is still waiting for the House's final version.
In May 2009, Dr. So gave a presentation to the hepatitis B perinatal coordinators in Metro Manila, Philippines. The ALC will be working with the Metro Manila Health Department to develop informational resources for health care providers and pregnant women in Manila. Dr. So also met with Senator Cayetano in May 2009. The ALC commends Senator Cayetano for her unwavering effort in the fight against hepatitis B and liver cancer.
Last Updated: June 18, 2009
