IDPH Convened Stakeholders from Around Illinois at Kickoff Meeting.

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) launched a new effort today to eliminate viral hepatitis in Illinois. The Illinois Hepatitis Coalition held its inaugural meeting, bringing together key stakeholders - including clinicians, academic researchers, and community partners - with the goal of formulating an equity-driven strategic plan to end the viral hepatitis epidemic in the state. The work of the coalition is funded through a $1.5 million federal grant.

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“The number of people in Illinois and across the nation living with hepatitis B and C is continuing to rise,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “The stubborn persistence of these preventable liver diseases demands that we bring together dedicated thought leaders and community partners to reverse these trends and put Illinois on a course to eliminate new cases of these diseases.”

Recent data indicates that cases of hepatitis B and C have continued to rise in Illinois. In 2020, the data showed a total of 388 confirmed cases of hepatitis B and 2,873 confirmed cases of hepatitis C, however many people with these diseases remain undiagnosed.

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