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Some very important news for Canada: Public Health Canada has just released “Reducing the health impact of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections in Canada by 2030: A pan-Canadian STBBI framework for action.” Note the document linked to below was press-embargoed between initial release April 27, 2018 through June 29, 2018.
Commentary:
PHAC’s newly-released STBBI “Action Framework” does NOT mention any age-related risks or advocate any age-based testing. It only mentions risk-based testing and using sex and gender-based lenses or filters. With or without the support of Canada’s federal or provincial governments, HepCBC will continue using an age-based lens in our advocacy efforts and in our push to find, test, diagnose, and further support those testing positive for hepatitis B and C.
PHAC continues to lump statistics for Hepatitis B (a treatable but incurable disease, preventable by vaccine) and Hepatitis C ( a curable disease with no vaccine) together, making it impossible to separate the unique goals or strategies required for each disease. HepCBC will continue to separate hepatitis B and hepatitis C, two very different diseases, in our educational efforts and practice.
(Below: World Health Organization GOALS are taken from Annex B, at the end of the new STBBI Action Framework)
Annex B: Global targets for STBBI
HIV
By 2030:
- Zero new HIV infections
- Zero AIDS-related deaths
- Zero discrimination
By 2020:
- 90% of people living with HIV know their status
- 90% of people living with HIV who know their status are receiving treatment
- 90% of people on treatment have suppressed viral loads
- Fewer than 500,000 new HIV infections
- Elimination of HIV-related discrimination
Hepatitis
By 2030:
- 90% reduction in new cases of chronic viral hepatitis B and C infections
- 65% reduction in hepatitis B and C deaths
- 90% of viral hepatitis B and C infections are diagnosed
- 80% of eligible people receiving hepatitis B and C treatment
By 2020:
- 30% reduction in new cases of chronic viral hepatitis B and C infections
- 10% reduction in hepatitis B and C deaths
- 30% of viral hepatitis B and C infections are diagnosed
- 5 million people receiving hepatitis B treatment, and 3 million people receiving hepatitis C treatment
- Achieve and maintain up-to-date 90% coverage for vaccination of hepatitis B vaccine (3 doses)