Your liver health is important. Getting a hepatitis B test is a simple way to keep your liver strong.
Hepatitis B is a virus that can harm your liver slowly. Many people don’t know they have it because symptoms may not show for years. The only way to know if you have hepatitis B is by getting a simple but specific hepatitis B blood test. Finding out early helps you take control and stop serious liver damage.
Hepatitis B can be passed in different ways, including from mother to baby during birth. With the right care, these risks can be reduced. A simple blood test during pregnancy can protect both you and your baby.
Hepatitis B can affect anyone. If you were born in a country where hepatitis B is more common, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor about getting tested.
Visit your doctor or local health clinic to get tested for hepatitis B.
» Explore our Campaign Page for posters, animations, and multilingual resources. For more information, visit www.mhahs.org.au
Each year, Hepatitis Awareness Week runs from 22 July – 28 July, with World Hepatitis Day on 28 July. This year’s global theme is ‘It’s time for action,’ and it starts with raising awareness about liver health. Your liver is your body's powerhouse! It performs over 500 vital functions to keep you healthy. However, viruses like hepatitis B and hepatitis C can damage your liver, especially if left undiagnosed and untreated.
In Australia, more than 200,000 people are living with chronic hepatitis B and many are unaware they have the virus, especially those from our multicultural communities. The good news is hepatitis B is preventable with a safe and effective vaccine, and manageable with regular checkups and treatment. The only way to know if you have hepatitis B is by getting tested.
‘Early diagnosis is essential. Many may not realise they have chronic hepatitis B until it's too late. Prompt testing and treatment are our best defences,’ emphasises Kristen McKee, Hepatology Clinical Nurse Consultant at Sydney Local Health District's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
Multilingual resources for you and your community
The Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service (MHAHS) campaign, ‘Are You Living with Hepatitis B? Find Out. Get Tested,’ aims to raise awareness in communities with lower testing rates, including Chinese, Arabic, Korean, Samoan, Tongan, Vietnamese speaking and sub-Saharan African communities in NSW. The campaign offers free multilingual brochures, posters, and video resources available on the MHAHS website and in print.
‘Our goal is to enable communities to make informed health decisions. We encourage everyone to talk to their healthcare provider about hepatitis B testing,’ Barbara Luisi, Director of MHAHS, said.’ Testing is free for Medicare cardholders. For those without a Medicare Card, please contact NSW Health Sexual Health Clinics regarding free Hepatitis testing. Remember, all conversations with your doctor in Australia remain confidential.’
Act now. Get tested!
Spread the word about the importance of hepatitis testing and treatment in your local communities. Download the MHAHS multilingual Hepatitis Awareness Week 2024 toolkit with resources, messages, and social media tools to share. Together, we can eliminate viral hepatitis transmission in Australia by 2030.
For more information about liver health and hepatitis visit MHAHS website on www.mhahs.org.au or call Hepatitis NSW Infoline on 1800 803 990.
As the world marks World AIDS Day on December 1, we emphasize the important role that communities play in halting HIV transmission. The global theme for this year, "Let Communities Lead," underlines the strength of community work in the global fight against HIV.
Community-led efforts are at the heart of the fight against HIV, yet they grapple with limited resources. On World AIDS Day, we recognize these challenges and commit to working more closely with them to combat HIV effectively.
Our message is clear: "Let Communities Lead." This powerful message, according to Barbara Luisi, Manager of the Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service (MHAHS), echoes not only on World AIDS Day but throughout December and beyond as we unite for change.
In line with the 2023 Australian campaign theme, "Inclusion, Respect, Equity," we emphasize the urgent need to make HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services more inclusive. Our goal is to tackle HIV stigma and ensure accessibility for all, including community members from diverse backgrounds.
HIV remains a public health concern in Australia, with approximately 29,460 people living with HIV. Alarmingly, nearly one in ten Australians with HIV are unaware of their status, potentially unknowingly transmitting the virus.
The fear of HIV stigma and discrimination has deterred many from testing, especially in diverse communities. Early testing is crucial for prompt treatment, and it's vital to note that HIV treatment is available free of charge, even without a Medicare card.
Professor David Templeton, Head of Department of Sexual Health Medicine in Sydney Local Health District, underscores the importance of community engagement in addressing HIV stigma. He believes that through collaborative efforts, we can boost HIV testing rates, encourage those at risk to take the HIV prevention pill known as “PreP” and consequently reduce HIV transmission.
To support this campaign, MHAHS is promoting its award-winning resource, "HIV: What you need to know," available in eight languages: English, Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese. The e-booklet can be downloaded from the MHAHS website, and free hard copies are available upon request. Supporters can also access a toolkit outlining the variety of multilingual resources and how to support the campaign.
For media interviews, please contact Sonam Paljor at 9515 1234 or email Энэ и-мэйл хаягийг спамботоос хамгаалсан. Та үзэхийн тулд JavaScript идэвхжүүлэх хэрэгтэй.
Hepatitis is a global issue that demands urgent attention. That's why this year's World Hepatitis Day (28 July) carries the powerful theme of "We're Not Waiting". It's a call to action to increase efforts in eliminating hepatitis and recognizing those who are already making a positive impact in their lives and communities. This campaign is driven by the belief that we can eliminate hepatitis by 2030 through community action and collective determination.
Joining the cause, the Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service (MHAHS) is promoting its booklet "Hepatitis B. It's Family Business." This comprehensive booklet has been specifically designed for individuals from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. It is available in multiple languages including English, Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Khmer, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese. You can download the e-booklet here or order hard copies by contacting MHAHS.
"We cannot afford to delay hepatitis B testing. Many people in our community might not even realize they have chronic hepatitis B," warned Professor Benjamin Cowie, director of the Australian WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis at the Doherty Institute, emphasizing the urgency of the matter.
"It is important to understand that without proper care and treatment, hepatitis B can progress to liver cancer, which is truly alarming. Shockingly, every 30 seconds, someone around the world loses their life to a hepatitis-related illness in 2023. That's why early diagnosis and prompt treatment are absolutely vital to prevent these heartbreaking outcomes. The only way to know for sure if you have hepatitis B is by undergoing a simple test. Don't wait, get tested today."
In Australia, an estimated 200,385 people were living with chronic hepatitis B by the end of 2021. Among them, around 76% were born overseas, with Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia contributing significantly to these numbers. In NSW nearly 72,058 people are living with chronic hepatitis B, but less than 27% are receiving regular care and treatment. This disproportionately affects community members born overseas.
That's why the "Are you living with hepatitis B? Find Out. Get Tested" campaign is urging people from diverse communities to prioritize their liver health and get tested for hepatitis B. The campaign's messages are available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese to ensure accessibility and inclusivity.
"We are fully committed to helping our diverse communities prioritize their well-being and liver health," stated Gai Stackpool, Deputy Manager of the Multicultural HIV and Hepatitis Service.
"Our campaign provides individuals with culturally relevant information, empowering them to make informed choices and take meaningful action."
We strongly encourage community members to consult their doctors about hepatitis B and schedule a test. Hepatitis B testing is free if you have a Medicare card. For those without a Medicare Card, please contact NSW Health Sexual Health Clinics regarding free Hepatitis testing. Remember, all conversations with your doctor in Australia remain confidential.
For interviews in languages other than English, please call Sonam Paljor on 0436 649 000 or email Энэ и-мэйл хаягийг спамботоос хамгаалсан. Та үзэхийн тулд JavaScript идэвхжүүлэх хэрэгтэй.
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