Click the above video to watch Connect with Care Ahtahkakoop’s grand prize winning video .
We are delighted to announce the winners of our first-ever film contest to highlight viral hepatitis elimination efforts around the world.
A total of 17 videos were submitted from 13 countries with filmmakers featuring people tackling the disease in five key ways: Political and Civil Support, Data to Plan and Evaluate Programs, Appropriate and Feasible Interventions, Sustainable Financing, and Participation in Operational Research.
The breadth and beauty of the films show the extraordinary efforts underway in communities around the world to alleviate the pain of those living with hepatitis B and C and prevent others from getting these diseases.
“The 17 entrants to the first annual Hepatitis Elimination Video contest poignantly illustrate why we are committed to hepatitis elimination,” said John Ward, MD, Director of The Task Force for Global Health’s Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, which spearheaded the contest. “First, the passion of persons working to rid their communities of viral hepatitis is inspiring. The ingenuity of persons in tailoring interventions to readily fit into existing health systems is remarkable. Lastly, individuals greatly appreciate the opportunity to take control of their health to be tested, treated and cured of this life threatening illness.”
The grand prize was won by “Connecting with Care Ahtahkakoop,” a film by the International Network on Hepatitis in Substance Users, in partnership with the Ahtahkakoop indigenous community in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The Ahtahkakoop are affected by some of the highest hepatitis C and HIV co-infection rates in Canada.
“I am extremely honoured to have been a part of this film,” added Jodie Albert, Outreach Worker for the Ahtahkakoop Health Centre. “I am hoping people and health professionals will see it and get a glimpse of understanding addiction and infection from the lived experience perspective, to possibly embrace First Nations people in compassionate care.”
“The ultimate goal for disease elimination is health equity,” said Ward. “The Connecting With Care – Ahtahkakoop vividly portrays how HCV testing and treatment can be effectively scaled up in a community marginalized by geography and social determinants. The program is a tribute to the Ahtahkakoop and provides lessons learned for other programs. The program sends a clarion call to action. HCV elimination is possible for every community.”
Check out the rest of the winning submissions.
The Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, formed in July 2019, brings together hepatitis programs and partners to share goals, preferred practices and data; access technical assistance beyond their specific program’s capacity; and maximize operational research for the acceleration of elimination efforts.
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The Task Force Embarks on Initiative to Eliminate Hepatitis B and C
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