San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee will join the U.S. Department of Health Services Assistant Secretary For Heath and Human Services Dr. Howard Koh today for a press conference to talk about a comprehensive national plan to address the viral hepatitis epidemic this space has blogged about before.
Mayor Lee and Dr. Koh will also explain San Francisco’s leading role in the movement to treat and prevent viral hepatitis. Dr. Koh will also speak on the Affordable Care Act’s impact on the efforts to stop viral hepatitis.
Two local San Francisco Bay Area residents will speak on their experience living with the disease, and a blood draw will take place to encourage wide spread testing.
Viral Hepatitis Causes Liver Cancer
Did you know that viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer in America, effecting up to 5.3 million Americans. And one in 10 who are Asian are chronically infected by Hepatitis B and four times as likely to die from liver cancer, when compared with the general population.
San Francisco has the highest rates of liver cancer in the United States.
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma A Spokesperson
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, who is living with Hepatitis B, was tapped to be the chair of the effort called ‘SF Hep B Free.’ SF Hep B Free has implemented widespread testing and public awareness of the problem.
Other Notes
The event, slated for 10 AM, will also host Region IX Director Of Heath and Human Services, Herb Schultz. Mr. Schultz will also talk about the regional and national implementation of the plan.
Regular readers will recall that this blogger talked with Steve Goodwin about his battle with Hepatitis C.
Stay tuned.
Bill Carroll