Mission statement

The objective of the VHPB is to contribute to the control and prevention of all types of viral hepatitis:

1. by drawing the attention to this important public health problem
2. by issuing prevention guidance and catalysing the development of recommendations
3. by encouraging actions to improve control and prevention

VHPB has, in support of its main objective, a wide range of actions, including the following:

• To monitor and evaluate the currently implemented prevention and control programmes
• To bring together, during VHPB meetings, an international forum of specialists to examine, discuss, and judge on specific topics, closely related with the control and prevention of viral hepatitis
• To produce and distribute a number of publications, including VHPB newsletters, reports of VHPB meetings and peer reviewed publications
• To provide guidance and catalyse the development of viral hepatitis control and prevention recommendations/guidelines for healthcare workers and policymakers.
• To closely collaborate with international organisations dealing with control and prevention of viral hepatitis (e.g. World Health Organisation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, patient organisations, the Task Force for Global Health and Non Governmental Organisations) in order to maximise the impact of the VHPB’s efforts
• To organise international meetings to facilitate the introduction of viral hepatitis prevention and control programmes
• To promote the implementation of WHO recommendations on viral hepatitis control and prevention
• To assist implementation of national plans of action for the introduction of prevention and control measurs

Focus audiences are, in first instance, opinion leaders, policymakers and health care professionals.