National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day | Midwest Asian Health Association

MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dr. Hong Liu, Executive Director
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (312) 403-8899

Chicago, April 30^th, 2020 - Today is the National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day! As the nation is seeing increases in Hepatitis B infections, the Elimination of Immunization Disparities Program (EIDP) of the Midwest Asian Health Association (MAHA) is calling for greater awareness and access to Hepatitis B vaccinations for at-risk community members. Those at risk are foreign-born individuals from Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Africa. It also includes people who inject drugs and men who have sex with other men.

Undiagnosed and unmanaged Hepatitis B can lead to liver failure, liver cancer and cirrhosis, and even death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there was a 5% increase in 2016 for acute cases of Hepatitis B infection in the U.S. compared to 2012. Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable disease. However, according to Hepatitis B United, only one quarter of all adults in the United States ages 19 and older are fully vaccinated against Hepatitis B, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine for more than 30 years. “This commitment to greater Hepatitis B vaccination access and awareness reduces the number of Hepatitis B infections and deaths in the U.S.” said Dr. Hong Liu, Executive Director of MAHA.

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About the Midwest Asian Health Association (MAHA): MAHA is a community based non-profit organization with a mission to reduce health disparities for medically underserved, low-income populations in the Midwest through providing culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate services. To learn more or to donate, please go to www.maha-us.org.

Funding for MAHA’s Elimination of Immunization Disparities Program (EIDP) is made possible by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The purpose of EIDP is to create targeted interventions to address areas of racial and economic disparities related to vaccination coverage in children, adolescents and adults.