The objective of VHPB is to
contribute to the control and prevention of viral hepatitis, by drawing the
attention to this important public health problem, by issuing prevention
guidelines, and by encouraging actions to improve control and prevention. VHPB
focus audiences are, in the first instance, health care professionals,
policymakers, and opinion leaders.
VHPB has, in support of its main
objective, a wide range of functions, including the following:
- To monitor and evaluate the
currently implemented immunisation 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 Viral Hepatitis, a newsletter on viral hepatitis and
reports of VHPB meetings.
- To disseminate viral hepatitis
control and prevention guidelines for the health care workers and policymakers.
- To closely collaborate with
international agencies dealing with control and prevention of viral hepatitis
(World Health Organisation, Centres of Disease Control and Prevention, Bill and
Melinda Gates Children's Vaccine Program, European Commission, and Non
Governmental Organisations) in order to maximise the impact of the efforts.
- To organise international meetings
to facilitate the introduction of immunisation 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
vaccines.
