Dr. Ronald Valdiserri

Next Thursday, April 3, 2014, we will launch the three-year update (2014-2016) of the Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis. The plan provides a framework around which both federal and nonfederal stakeholders from many sectors can engage to strengthen the nation’s response to viral hepatitis. The event will be streamed online live from HHS headquarters in Washington, DC, so that as many federal, state, and community-based partners across the country as possible can participate.

Please join us for the launch event, which can be viewed live online at www.hhs.gov/live on Thursday, April 3, 2014 from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Eastern). Invite others to watch with you so you can talk about how you can work together in your community to improve viral hepatitis prevention, screening, and treatment.

The launch event is the culmination of efforts by colleagues from across the Department of Health and Human Services as well as at the Departments of Justice, Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans Affairs who have worked within their respective agencies and offices as well as with one another to develop this framework for focused activity by both federal and nonfederal stakeholders. Federal colleagues have identified more than 150 important actions their agencies and offices will undertake between 2014 and 2016 across six priority areas.More than 100 nonfederal stakeholders shared thoughts, general principles, and specific recommendations that helped to shape the renewed plan over the course of its development. A notable feature of the plan is a list of potential opportunities for non-federal stakeholders that would promote successful implementation. These implementation opportunities make it crystal-clear that achieving the goals of this national plan will require the time, talent, and energy of a broad mix of partners from across all sectors of society. The launch event will feature two panels – governmental and community – that will discuss, in practical terms, implementation challenges and opportunities as well as remarks by Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh, MD, MPH.

The updated plan organizes actions around the following six priority areas:

1: Educating Providers and Communities to Reduce Viral Hepatitis-related Health DisparitiesConfront viral hepatitis by breaking the silence.

2: Improving Testing, Care, and Treatment to Prevent Liver Disease and CancerTake full advantage of existing tools.

3: Strengthening Surveillance to Detect Viral Hepatitis Transmission and DiseaseCollect accurate and timely information to get the job done.

4: Eliminating Transmission of Vaccine-Preventable Viral HepatitisTake full advantage of vaccines that can prevent hepatitis A and B.

5: Reducing Viral Hepatitis Associated with Drug UseStop the spread of viral hepatitis associated with drug use.

6: Protecting Patients and Workers From Health Care-Associated Viral HepatitisQuality health care is safe health care

The day of the launch event, the updated Viral Hepatitis Action Plan and other information will be posted to the Viral Hepatitis Action Plan page hosted by aids.gov.

Please join us for this event to learn more and help us kick-off this renewed plan that can improve our nation’s response to viral hepatitis. Together, we can prevent new infections and save many lives.