Gov. Green declares July 28 as ‘Hawaiʻi Hepatitis Elimination Day’

Hep Free Hawaiʻi, a local coalition dedicated to increasing access to viral hepatitis and harm reduction services across the state, marks today as World Hepatitis Day, which Gov. Josh Green has declared “Hawaiʻi Hepatitis Elimination Day.”

On July 30, advocates will convene an invitation-only gathering in Honolulu to assess the progress of an ongoing statewide strategy to eliminate viral hepatitis.

The governor’s proclamation recognizes, in part, that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention broadly recommends vaccination for hepatitis B and that all adults over 18 get tested for hepatitis B and C at least once. In 2020, the CDC declared viral hepatitis a “winnable battle,” making it a national public health priority where significant progress can be made in a relatively short timeframe.

“We are excited about the passage of Senate Bill 3122 this year, which will expand hepatitis C screenings as a secondary prevention intervention,” said HFH Co-Director Heather Lusk, who also serves as the Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center. “With a cure for hepatitis C and a vaccine available to prevent hepatitis B, we have the medical tools available to prevent infections and provide treatment to those in need.”

Hawaiʻi resident Robert Hoffman is the recipient of the 2024 “Hep Free Hawaiʻi Hero” Award. It is presented annually to a local champion who has lived with or is impacted by viral hepatitis and “has demonstrated a commitment to improving their community’s awareness of and action towards hepatitis elimination in Hawaiʻi.” Hoffman’s hepatitis journey, “Live Life,” is directed by award-winning filmmaker Alexander Bocchieri.

Hep Free Hawaiʻi has worked with more than 200 community partners in recent years on a statewide strategy to eliminate viral hepatitis A, B, and C. “Hep Free 2030” identifies five priorities to eliminate hepatitis in Hawaiʻi: awareness and education, access to services, advocacy at all levels, equity in everything, and data for decision making. It also articulates four core values: harm reduction, social justice, intersectionality, and aloha.