,,iii  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #bcf  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #bg1 #bjag,ms4  
,hirono 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,c>d97 submitt$
 ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! 
,committee on ,heal?1 ,education1       
,labor1 & ,p5sions  ,,resolution        
,recogniz+ ,july #bh1 #bjag1 z ,_w      
,hepatitis ,day #bjag4  ,:]eas          
,hepatitis ,b1 ,hepatitis ,c1 & !       
incid5ce ( liv] disease caus$ by ^?     
viruses1 h become urg5t problems ( a    
global proportion2 ,:]eas ! ,_w ,heal?  
,organization has id5tifi$ viral        
hepatitis z an int]national public heal?
 *all5ge comp>able to human             
immunodefici5cy virus 79 ?is preamble   
ref]r$ to z ,,hiv71 tub]culosis1 &      
mal>ia2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjaf1 ! ,_w ,heal?   
,organization releas$ a global heal?    
sector /rategy on viral hepatitis t aims
 to elim9ate viral hepatitis z a public 
heal? ?reat by #bjcj2 ,:]eas an e/imat$ 
#bdj1jjj1jjj individuals worldwide are  
*ronically infect$ ) ,hepatitis ,b & an 

e/imat$ #fhf1jjj individuals worldwide  
die ea* ye> due to ,hepatitis ,b2 ,:]eas
 an e/imat$ #aej1jjj1jjj individuals    
worldwide are *ronically infect$ )      
,hepatitis ,c & an e/imat$ #gjj1jjj     
individuals worldwide die ea* ye> due to
 ,hepatitis ,c-relat$ liv] disease2     
,:]eas an e/imat$ #a1jjj1jjj individuals
 worldwide die ea* ye> due to liv]      
failure or prim>y liv] canc] result+ f a
 *ronic infection ( hepatitis2 ,:]eas an
 e/imat$ #e1cjj1jjj individuals 9 !     
,unit$ ,/ates are infect$ ) ei!r        
,hepatitis ,b or ,hepatitis ,c1 includ+ 
#a1djj1jjj individuals :o are *ronically
 infect$ ) ,hepatitis ,b & #b1gjj1jjj   
individuals :o are *ronically infect$ ) 
,hepatitis ,c2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjad1 ! ,c5t]s
 = ,disease ,control & ,prev5tion       
e/imat$ t !re 7 #ai1bjj new ,hepatitis  
,b infections & #cj1ejj new ,hepatitis  
,c infections1 respectively1 9 ! ,unit$ 
,/ates2 ,:]eas1 s9ce #bjaj1 ! ,c5t]s =  
,disease ,control & ,prev5tion has f\nd 
significant increases 9 ! transmission (

 new hepatitis cases 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 
includ+ a #aea-p]c5t increase 9 new     
transmissions ( ,hepatitis ,c 9 ! ,unit$
 ,/ates betwe5 #bjaj & #bjac2 ,:]eas    
*ronic viral hepatitis claims ?\s&s (   
lives 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ea* ye>1 & 9    
#bjad alone1 !re 7 #ai1fei dea?s due to 
,hepatitis ,c 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas 
an individual :o has become *ronically  
infect$ ) ,hepatitis ,b or ,hepatitis ,c
 may n h symptoms = up to #dj ye>s aft] 
be+ infect$2 ,:]eas "s gr\ps (          
individuals 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates h a high] 
rate ( *ronic viral hepatitis infection 
?an o!r gr\ps ( individuals 9 ! ,unit$  
,/ates1 includ+ ,african-,am]icans1     
,asian ,am]icans1 ,pacific ,isl&]s1     
,lat9os1 ,native ,am]icans1 ,alaska     
,natives1 gay & bisexual m51 &          
individuals :o inject drugs intrav5\sly2
 ,:]eas ,asian ,am]icans & ,pacific     
,isl&]s h ! highe/ rate ( ,hepatitis    
,b-relat$ dea?s 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2      
,:]eas ,hepatitis ,b is #ej to #ajj     
times m infecti\s ?an ,,hiv2 ,:]eas     

,hepatitis ,c is #aj times m infecti\s  
?an ,,hiv2 ,:]eas an e/imat$ #be p]c5t (
 individuals 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates :o are   
infect$ ) ,,hiv are also infect$ )      
,hepatitis ,c2 ,:]eas life expectancies 
= individuals infect$ ) ,,hiv h increas$
 ) antiretroviral treatm5t1 & liv]      
disease 7l>gely attribut$ to ,hepatitis 
,b & ,hepatitis ,c infections7 has      
become ! mo/ common cause ( dea? among  
?is population1 aside f acquir$ immune  
defici5cy syndrome2 ,:]eas1 despite !   
fact t *ronic viral hepatitis is ! mo/  
common blood-borne infection 9 ! ,unit$ 
,/ates1 an e/imat$ #fe p]c5t (          
individuals ) ,hepatitis ,b & an e/imat$
 #ge p]c5t ( individuals ) ,hepatitis ,c
 are unaw>e ( ! infection2 ,:]eas       
,hepatitis ,b is prev5table ?r\gh       
vacc9ation1 & bo? ,hepatitis ,b &       
,hepatitis ,c are prev5table ) prop]    
public heal? int]v5tions1 includ+       
programs t (f] access to /]ile injection
 equipm5t = individuals :o inject drugs 
intrav5\sly2 ,:]eas effective & safe    

treatm5t is available = individuals )   
,hepatitis ,b & ,hepatitis ,c1 includ+  
new curative treatm5ts = ,hepatitis ,c2 
& ,:]eas ,_w ,hepatitis ,day #bjag w    
promote ! elim9ation ( viral hepatitis  
?r\gh great] aw>5ess1 increas$          
diagnosis1 & key int]v5tions3 ,n[1      
!re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7         
recognizes ,july #bh1 #bjag1 z ,_w      
,hepatitis ,day #bjag2  7#b7 supports   
broad access to ,hepatitis ,b &         
,hepatitis ,c treatm5ts2  7#c7 supports 
rais+ aw>5ess ( ! risks & consequ5ces ( 
undiagnos$ *ronic ,hepatitis ,b &       
,hepatitis ,c infections2 &  7#d7 calls 
= a robu/ gov]nm5tal & public heal?     
response to protect ! heal? ( !         
approximately #e1cjj1jjj individuals 9 !
 ,unit$ ,/ates1 & #cij1jjj1jjj          
individuals worldwide1 :o suff] f *ronic
 viral hepatitis4