World Hepatitis Day, 2012

Proclamation 8845 of July 27, 2012

World Hepatitis Day, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Worldwide, one in twelve people is living with viral
hepatitis--a disease that threatens the health of
millions of Americans and people across the globe. As a
leading cause of liver cancer in the United States, it
remains a major public health challenge here at home.
Because the disease can persist for decades without
symptoms, many Americans who are chronically infected
are unaware of their infection status. On World
Hepatitis Day, we call attention to this silent
epidemic, and we rededicate ourselves to the fight
against viral hepatitis.

Hepatitis prevention and control begins with awareness.
Though all types of viral hepatitis are associated with
serious health issues, hepatitis B and C can become
chronic infections that often lead to liver cirrhosis
or liver cancer. Tragically, complications resulting
from viral hepatitis claim thousands of American lives
every year--a burden borne disproportionately by
African American, Hispanic, and Asian American and
Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, and by persons
born between 1945 and 1965. Despite the health issues
associated with the disease, a majority of Americans
living with chronic hepatitis do not know they are
infected.

Hepatitis A and B can be prevented with vaccines, which
are recommended for all children--and for adults who
are at high risk of contracting viral hepatitis. While
no vaccine exists for hepatitis C, early detection and
treatment can curb transmission, limit the disease's
progression, and prevent life-threatening
complications, including liver cancer. I encourage all
Americans to talk with a physician about hepatitis
prevention to learn more about what they can do to stay
healthy.

My Administration remains committed to addressing viral
hepatitis. As part of our Action Plan for the
Prevention, Care, and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis; the
Healthy People 2020 initiative; and other Federal
programs, agencies across the Federal Government are
partnering with States, communities, and stakeholders
throughout the private and nonprofit sectors to prevent
new cases of hepatitis and help Americans who have
already been affected. We are promoting hepatitis
outreach and education that shines a light on this
public health issue. With the White House Initiative on
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, we are working
to prevent, treat, and control hepatitis B infections
in AAPI communities. And by bringing health insurance
within reach for more Americans, the Affordable Care
Act is helping improve patient access to comprehensive
viral hepatitis prevention and treatment services.

On World Hepatitis Day, let us raise awareness of the
global health threat of viral hepatitis, renew our
support for those living with the disease, and recommit
to a future free of this tragic illness.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim July 28, 2012, as
World Hepatitis Day. I encourage citizens, Government
agencies, nonprofit organizations, and communities
across the Nation to join in activities that will
increase awareness about hepatitis and what we can do
to prevent it.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.