Inaugural World Hepatitis Summit calls upon governments to eliminate viral hepatitis B and C by 2030

The first ever World Hepatitis Summit, co-organized by WHO, the World Hepatitis Alliance and hosted by the Scottish Government, convened in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom on 2–4 September 2015. For the first time, government representatives and other stakeholders met with patient groups to discuss the Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis, which will set the ambitious yet feasible goal of eliminating viral hepatitis B and C as a global public health threat by 2030.

Government representatives of over 15 Member States of the WHO European Region, including ministers from Albania and Georgia, were among the delegates from over 60 countries.

WHO/Europe, in collaboration with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Koch Institute in Germany, organized a session on strategic information for planning. It focused on the role of surveillance in evidence-informed response to viral hepatitis, and proposed global targets and indicators for viral hepatitis B and C.

The Summit concluded with the adoption of the Glasgow Declaration on Hepatitis calling upon all governments to develop and implement comprehensive, funded, national hepatitis plans and programmes in partnership with all stakeholders. The plans will need to be in line with the World Health Assembly resolution WHA67.6 and based on realistic yet aspirational global targets for prevention, testing, diagnosis, care and treatment.