The negotiations for the next set of development goals have yielded hope for advocates fighting hepatitis. The disease made it under goal 3 in the draft outcome document that is expected to be adopted in September at the U.N. General Assembly, which means it now has a better chance of mobilizing resources.
But just how much will it really take to bring the disease under control, and eventually eliminate it?
Unlike other diseases like HIV and AIDS and tuberculosis — which would need an estimated $22 billion to $24 billion, and $8 billion, respectively, according to statistics released by relevant stakeholders — hepatitis does not yet have a ballpark estimate attached to it. But with the introduction of a World Health Organization draft action plan for the prevention, care and treatment of viral hepatitis, stakeholders have started working on estimates on what would be required to address this silent epidemic, which kills at least 1 million people every year.
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
