[World Hepatitis Day - Take Action]

Two and a half million new cases of viral hepatitis (types B and C) occur annually. Because it causes 3,500 deaths every day, viral hepatitis is one of the most important infectious diseases in public health. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated July 28 as World Hepatitis Day since 2008 and encourages the efforts of countries around the world to combat hepatitis. The WHO and World Hepatitis Alliance present key promotional messages annually on World Hepatitis Day to combat the infection. The campaign's themes have included "HEP Can't Wait" (2021), "I can't wait" (2022), and "We're not waiting" (2023). In 2024, the theme will be "Take Action." The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also spreads customized content and messages through promotional campaigns using various media, such as social networking sites, YouTube, radio, and newspapers, to mark World Hepatitis Day.