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World Liver Day, April 19 2024

Raising awareness about the vital role of the liver!

WHY A WORLD LIVER DAY?

Your liver is an incredible organ, performing more than 500 vital functions, such as filtering toxins and aiding in digestion and metabolism. Yet, liver health is often overlooked. 

Each year, thousands of people are affected by liver disease. 1.5 billion people live with chronic liver disease, and 2 million lives are lost yearly.  Early prevention can save many of these lives. 

World Liver Day aims to spotlight the rising burden of liver diseases and the urgent need for concerted global action.

Beginning as a national effort in India, it has now become a worldwide movement, connecting people from every continent, including communities, doctors, and policymakers to promote liver health.

Liver disease poses a significant health and socio-economic burden globally, yet it lacks adequate attention on the global political agenda.
Globally, liver disease is missing in countries' strategies. It should be included in primary health care plans and in services covered by universal health care.
Chronic liver diseases develop silently, causing progressive scarring and cirrhosis, ranking second to ischemic heart disease in years of working life lost globally. With 1.5 billion affected individuals in 2017, and 2 million deaths annually, chronic liver diseases represent a major public health problem.
There is low awareness about liver disease risk factors at the population level, in particular among populations with low socioeconomic status. Most liver diseases could be prevented.
Increasing health literacy and promoting behavioural changes would reduce the liver disease burden and significantly impact its morbidity and mortality.
Steatotic liver disease (SLD) affects more than one-third of adults globally, with growing prevalence closely linked to obesity and type-2 diabetes. There is an urgent need for national policies to address the high and increasing rates of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
Alcohol-associated liver disease (ArLD), is a major cause of liver disease in Europe, highlighting the need for effective public health measures such as alcohol taxation to reduce alcohol consumption.
Liver cancer, driven by environmental risks and underlying liver diseases like viral hepatitis B and C, alcohol-related, and steatotic liver disease, is on the rise globally, with an estimated >905,000 cases in 2020. Comprehensive preventive measures are needed.
Death rates from viral hepatitis now exceed those from HIV/AIDS, with progress in elimination targets jeopardized by gaps in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, requiring urgent attention to achieve the WHO's 2030 elimination targets.
Stigma surrounding liver diseases, particularly among patients and at-risk populations like people who inject drugs, those with alcohol disorders or with obesity, creates barriers to early detection and care.
Commercial determinants of health, like aggressive marketing of alcohol and unhealthy foods and drinks, contribute to liver disease and must be addressed.
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It's time to act now.

We want to spark conversations worldwide, share helpful information, and work together on ways to lessen the impact of liver diseases, to make lives better for everyone. Join us in this important mission and let's grow the liver-loving community!
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GET INVOLVED

Pick your way to get involved on World Liver Day and join the movement for better liver health worldwide!
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TOOLKIT

Download the communications toolkit and get started!
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LEARN MORE

Find out more about the liver, diseases that can affect it, and read the testimonials from people living with liver disease!
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CHALLENGE

Show us how you take care of your liver! Take a walk and share a photo, adding the logo! #StepUpforLiverHealth
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PARTNERS

Discover our campaign partners, and contact us!
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MATERIALS

Download all campaign materials and get started!
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Watch the messages of support!

World Liver Day logo
Is a joint campaign in collaboration with: