Registration is now open for the Mekong Hepatitis Symposium on November 26.
The Mekong Hepatitis Symposium is an annual international event that aims to update knowledge on hepatitis B and C viruses for regional health stakeholders. It allows participants to share their experiences and helps to encourage national and regional decision-makers to intensify the fight against these diseases.
The 2021 edition with the theme "Viral Hepatitis Elimination, between promises and challenges" will be a virtual event consisting of two webinars. It will take place from 2 to 4 pm in Thailand and from 8 to 10 am in France on Friday November 26. It will bring together experts, researchers, and health professionals to discuss two main topics:
- Session 1: Update on hepatitis B care and prevention
- Session 2: How can we reach the 2030 HCV eradication goal?
Participation in the conference is free but registration is required.
The event is supported by the Lao-Christophe Mérieux Infectious Diseases Centre, the Lyon Cancer Research Centre (CRCL), the Fondation Mérieux, the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), the Cambodian Ministry of Health, the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Chiang Mai University and Sorbonne-Paris-Nord University.
Hepatitis in short
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, mostly caused by viruses but also transmitted by toxic substances. To date, five viruses have been identified to cause targeted infection and inflammation of the liver. These viruses, designated by the letters A, B, C, D, and E, differ in their mode of transmission and aggressiveness. The hepatitis B and C viruses can be transmitted through the bloodstream, while the others cannot.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that an estimated 500,000 people were infected with hepatitis B and C viruses in 2019 in the South-East Asia region, and nearly 200,000 of them died from the diseases in the same year. WHO has set a goal of eliminating hepatitis B and C viruses by 2030.