A message from Lucy Clynes, CEO, Hepatitis Australia

Lucy Clynes CEO, Hepatitis Australia

It’s my great pleasure to introduce myself as the new CEO of Hepatitis Australia. As we move together into the critical next phase of Australia’s elimination of hepatitis B and hepatitis C, I look forward to leading the organisation to perform its vital role of advocating for communities affected by viral hepatitis. Nearly 300,000 people in Australia live with hepatitis B or hepatitis C who face increased risks of liver disease and liver cancer. Amplifying the voices of community is critical to progress.

Australia has been a global leader in the fight against blood-borne viruses. We must now sharpen our focus on eliminating hepatitis B and hepatitis C by 2030. The Australian Government’s commitment of $23.7m over two years for hepatitis B and hepatitis C initiatives, announced in the 2024-25 Federal Budget, along with the new national strategies, set the stage for significant progress.

The Fourth National Hepatitis B Strategy 2024-2030 and Sixth National Hepatitis C Strategy 2024-2030, set for imminent public release, identify numerous challenges and opportunities on the path to elimination. Of particular note, I think, is the importance of delivering effective programs such as needle and syringe programs (NSPs) in prisons and other places of detention. Any delay in action prolongs needless exposure to risk and inhibits progress in diagnosis, treatment, and care.

My heartfelt thanks Adj Prof Darryl O’Donnell for his leadership as Interim CEO of Hepatitis Australia over recent months. Darryl is among the very best leaders in our sector, and the organisation is stronger for the momentum he has built.

Below you can read about the recent 14th Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference, and national World Hepatitis Day activities, including our Parliamentary event, which I was very pleased to attend alongside Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care and Hon Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Health.

Please reach out to me and the Hepatitis Australia team if we can support you in any way. We would love to hear from you at [email protected].

Lucy Clynes
CEO, Hepatitis Australia

Also in this update:

Thank you for supporting World Hepatitis Day 2024

Special thanks to everyone for supporting the global theme for World Hepatitis Day 2024 "It's time for action." This year saw fantastic support and coverage for World Hepatitis Day, including events, media, viral videos and a fantastic Parliamentary event with Federal Health Minister Mark Butler.

WHD 2024

Australia has been urged to accelerate action to eliminate hepatitis B and hepatitis C, with Health Minister Mark Butler MP addressing a renewed push to curb these epidemics.

He spoke alongside Senators Louise Pratt and Dean Smith, Co-Chairs of Parliamentary Friends for ending HIV, STIs and Other Blood Borne Viruses, at a federal parliamentary World Hepatitis Day event on 4 July 2024.

Read more about World Hepatitis Day activities and events

The 14th Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference

Last week it was great to engage with so many inspiring people working towards our shared hepatitis B and hepatitis C elimination efforts, and to have important and challenging conversations at #VH2024! We look forward to continuing these and thinking about how they will inform our work. Special thanks to all the presenters over the three days coming together on beautiful Larrakia country in Garamilla (Darwin), Northern Territory. Thank you for having us.

Let’s carry forward the spirit of unity and collaboration as we work towards a future free from hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Congratulations and thank you to ASHM for coordinating an inspiring event!

Australian Museum Eureka Prizes nominee: Professor Joseph Doyle

Congratulations to Hepatitis Australia's President, Professor Joseph Doyle for being nominated as a finalist in the Leadership category at the prestigious 2024 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.

Professor Joseph Doyle is committed to achieving the World Health Organization goal of eliminating viral hepatitis, which affects more than 300 million people globally. Through partnerships spanning hospitals, universities, community and government, he has innovated and implemented new models of testing, care and treatment, to improve outcomes for the 300,000 Australians living with viral hepatitis.

Short film "Down with Hepatitis"

Congratulations to Global Health New Zealand on their release of the short film "Down with Hepatitis" for #WorldHepatitisDay. It features Sue Huntley of NSW who is a nominee for the 2024 CGHE Elimination Champions and the first-ever Legacy Awards.

The eight exceptional nominees are recognised for their significant contributions to health equity in the global fight to eliminate hepatitis. You can find out more about the Awards here: https://www.globalhep.org/elimination-champions Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination

Watch the entire Down With Hepatitis Film here.

INHSU's series of films featuring Australia’s Kombi Clinic

In the lead-up to World Hepatitis Day, INHSU has shared a series of films featuring Australia’s Kombi Clinic, showcasing innovative approaches and real-life impacts in the fight against hepatitis C. Quirky Hawaiian shirts, inflatable flamingos, a bright yellow van: not your typical hepatitis C care model. But Australia's Kombi Clinic shows that fun and a non-judgmental approach can be key to elimination.

Watch the 5 min video: Connecting with Care - Kombi Clinic, Australia - INHSU

Also don’t miss INHSU’s FREE Hepatitis C Elimination toolkit, featuring inspiring case studies and evidence-based how-to guides on Dried-Blood-Spot Testing, Peer Support, Point-of-care HCV RNA Testing and more. All resources - INHSU

The 12th International Conference on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users

INHSU 2024 will bring together hundreds of global attendees from sectors including harm reduction, infectious diseases, civil society, and drug policy. This event promises to foster collaborative dialogue and catalyse positive change for marginalised communities worldwide.

  • 8-11 October 2024
  • Megaron International Convention Centre, Athens, Greece

Registration now open: https://www.inhsu.org/inhsu-2024/

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