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Declaring May 2016 to be Hepatitis Awareness Month in Philadelphia to recognize and support the joint efforts of "Hep B United Philadelphia" and "Hepatitis C Allies of Philadelphia" coalitions aimed at raising awareness of the link between viral hepatitis and liver cancer.
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WHEREAS, Hepatitis B and C viruses are serious public health concerns; an estimated 5 million Americans and 65,000 Philadelphians are living with these viruses, which are leading causes of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplants; most people living with hepatitis B and C are not aware of their infection; and
WHEREAS, Hepatitis B is the world's most serious liver infection, causing over 80% of primary liver cancer cases in the world, disproportionately impacting people of Asian, Pacific Islander, and African descent; killing 1 in 4 chronically infected persons prematurely from cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure; and
WHEREAS, Hepatitis B is completely preventable with a safe and effective vaccine but less than 40% of high-risk individuals are vaccinated against hepatitis B; and
WHEREAS, Hepatitis C is the most common bloodborne infection in the U.S. and since a majority of people living with the virus do not even know they are infected, hepatitis C now kills more people than HIV/AIDS; and
WHEREAS, In the U.S., liver cancer is the only cancer that continues to rise in new cases and in deaths each year, for both men and women, primarily due to infections with hepatitis B and hepatitis C; and
WHEREAS, 28,000 people each year are diagnosed with liver cancer in the U.S.; the 5-year survival rate for liver cancer is only 16.6%; and 23,000 people each year die from liver cancer in the U.S.; and
WHEREAS, Hepatitis B and C testing followed by treatment is associated with a 50%-80% reduction in the risk of liver cancer; and
WHEREAS, Over 20,000 Philadelphians are living with hepatitis B, and risk populations need to learn their status so ...
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