Dear HEP Community,
From my very first day at the Hepatitis Education Project nine months ago, I have been awed by the unyielding passion our team brings to HEP’s crucial efforts toward making viral hepatitis a thing of the past.
Around the world, infectious diseases kill thousands every day, prematurely ending lives we might’ve saved with widespread vaccination or effective treatments. There’s no shortage of work to be done and, on the whole, we’re still missing a lot of essential tools for combating these health threats. It can feel endless, almost impossible to begin to tackle — but I’m here to tell you it’s not.
In the last few decades, humans have managed to create some incredible tools to fight viral hepatitis: quick and highly accurate testing, a safe vaccine and treatments for hepatitis B, and a 99% effective cure for hepatitis C that is fast and painless. For once, we actually have what we need to bring an end to a disease that still kills more than a million people globally every year.
Now, we just have to corral the will to seize this amazing opportunity, a task that is undoubtedly difficult but far from impossible.
With our new 2024-2026 strategic plan, HEP is taking on ambitious goals to drive toward viral hepatitis elimination while continuing to champion the needs of the marginalized and underserved.
Beyond making history, eradicating this disease within our lifetime would be a genuine testament to humanity’s power to come together and accomplish something meaningful.
I’m so proud to be working alongside such a dedicated team, and I know that together and with the power of a strong collaborative network, we CAN do this!
With excitement,
Apoorva Mallya
HEP Executive Director