This UN General Assembly side event will recognize the progress of Member States towards hepatitis elimination, highlight examples of international collaborations (i.e. health diplomacy), and call for the formation of a UN Group of Friends promoting solidarity to reach UN and WHO goals for hepatitis elimination.

The event will entail participation from Ministers of Health, Foreign Affairs Ministers, UN Mission Representatives, and other stakeholders from various countries. Dignitaries are also preparing remarks in video as part of a video exhibition. The designated dignitaries shall give remarks regarding the advancements in health from their national hepatitis C programs and how diplomatic cooperation at the international level can accelerate efforts to eliminate hepatitis by 2030.

The event will be attended by a limited number of in-person speakers and guests. Watch the livestream here: https://vimeo.com/747651499/bc8b91beba.

Agenda

Introductions | Dr. John W. Ward, Director, Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, Task Force for Global Health

Perspectives on Hepatitis Elimination

• Nobel Laureate, Dr. Harvey Alter, National Institutes of Health
• Nobel Laureate, Sir Michael Houghton (recording), University of Alberta

Opening Statements

• Dr. Meg Doherty | Director Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes, World Health Organization
• Jessica Hicks | Director of Programs, World Hepatitis Alliance 

Progress toward Hepatitis C Elimination

• Egypt |  Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar (virtual), Minister of Health and Population, Egypt and Dr. Heba Mostafa, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Egypt
• Ghana | Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Presidential Advisor on Health, Office of the President of Ghana
• Portugal | Eduardo Ramos, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations
• Argentina | María del Carmen Squeff, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Argentina
• Georgia | Minister Zurab Azarashvili, Minister of Health, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health, and Social Affairs of Georgia
• Ukraine | Dr. Olga Govzdetska, Acting Deputy Director General, Public Health Center, Ukraine
• Japan | Dr. Junko Tanaka, Visiting Researcher, Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases | Executive and Vice President, Hiroshima University, Japan
• United States | Dr. Francis Collins (recording), Science Advisor to the President

Free the Next Generation (World Premier) | Flaviano Mable (recording), Singer and community advocate, Uganda

Progress towards Hepatitis B Elimination

• Malaysia | Azril Abd Aziz, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission from Malaysia
• China | Dr. Liang Xiaofeng (recording), Professor, School of Medicine and Public Health, Jinan University, China
• Chile | José Luis Bustamante, Permanent Mission of Chile to the United Nation and Andrea Peña, Program Manager, National Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Program, Ministry of Health, Chile
• Korea | Jonghee Choi (Virtual), Consulate General, Republic of Korea
• Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, Acting Director, Africa CDC
• Nigeria | Dr. Osaghie Ehanire, Hon. Minister of Health, Nigeria & Dr. Akudo Ikpeazu, National Coordinator, National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme/ Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria
• Tanzania | Prof. Paschal Ruggajo, Director of Curative Services, Ministry of Health, United Republic of Tanzania & Prof. Abel Makubi, Chief Medical Officer, United Republic of Tanzania
• Sierra Leone | Princess Dugba, Deputy Minister of health and Sanitation, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone

Perspectives of partners and guests

• Capucine Pénicaud, Director, Programme and Partnership, The Hepatitis Fund
• Dr. José Zuniga (virtual), President/CEO, International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
• Others

Closing | Dr. John W. Ward, Director, Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, Task Force for Global Health