According to Hepatitis Australia, around 220,000 people in Australia are living with chronic Hepatitis B, with 4–5% of cases linked to people born in the Philippines.
Key Points
- Hepatitis B is the most common virus that infects the liver worldwide.
- According to Lucy Clynes, CEO of Hepatitis Australia, an estimated 220,000 people in Australia are living with chronic Hepatitis B, with most coming from migrant and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities who may not have had access to testing and vaccination in the past.
- Apart from the Filipino community, Hepatitis B cases are also significantly high among Vietnamese and Chinese communities in Australia.
According to Hepatitis Australia, nearly one in three people living with Hepatitis B are unaware they are infected, while an estimated 75 percent of the approximately 220,000 cases in Australia are not receiving regular monitoring and treatment needed to prevent serious liver damage and liver cancer.
Since 2000, hepatitis B vaccination has been included in Australia’s routine immunisation program for newborn babies.
We estimate that around four to five percent of the 220,000 people living with chronic hepatitis B in Australia were born in the Philippines, so we encourage Filipinos to visit their GP and get tested early.Lucy Clynes, CEO Hepatitis Australia
📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
🔊 On Air – Tune in to SBS Filipino on radio stations across Australia and website live stream, and TV Channel 302 from 10 AM to 11 AM AEST daily.
📲 Catch up episodes and stories – Visit sbs.com.au/filipino or stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Youtube Podcasts, and SBS Audio app.
📣 Follow Us on Social Media – Stay updated by following us on Facebook and Instagram.
