The Viral Hepatitis National Strategic Plan: A Roadmap to Elimination 2021-2025 (Viral Hepatitis Plan or Plan) provides a framework to control the viral hepatitis epidemics and eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat in the United States by 2030. The Plan presents a strategic framework for integrating and leveraging synergistic policies, programs, and resources. It sets forth a vision and five goals for the nation, with objectives and strategies for each goal. A new goal since the prior Viral Hepatitis National Action Plan focuses on improving viral hepatitis surveillance and data collection to highlight the current gaps in, but critical role of, data in identifying areas of greatest need and measuring progress.
The goal-oriented objectives and strategies can be implemented by a broad mix of stakeholders at all levels and across many sectors, both public and private. The order in which the goals, objectives, strategies, and indicators are presented is not associated with any prioritization. The objectives and strategies offered in the Plan are intertwined and overlapping and may be used to make progress toward more than one goal.
The following is a snapshot of the vision, goals and objectives areas of the Viral Hepatitis Plan.
Vision
The United States will be a place where new viral hepatitis infections are prevented, every person knows their status, and every person with viral hepatitis has high-quality health care and treatment and lives free from stigma and discrimination.
This vision includes all people, regardless of age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, geographical location, or socioeconomic circumstance.
In pursuit of this vision, the Viral Hepatitis Plan establishes five goals and corresponding objectives:
Goal 1: Prevent New Viral Hepatitis Infections
Objective 1.1: Increase awareness of viral hepatitis
Objective 1.2: Increase viral hepatitis vaccination uptake and vaccine development
Objective 1.3: Eliminate perinatal transmission of hepatitis B and hepatitis C
Objective 1.4: Increase viral hepatitis prevention and treatment services for people who use drugs
Objective 1.5: Increase the capacity of public health, health care systems, and the health workforce to prevent and manage viral hepatitis
Goal 2: Improve Viral Hepatitis–Related Health Outcomes of People with Viral Hepatitis
Objective 2.1: Increase the proportion of people who are tested and aware of their viral hepatitis status
Objective 2.2: Improve the quality of care and increase the number of people with viral hepatitis who receive and continue (hepatitis B) or complete (hepatitis C) treatment, including people who use drugs and people in correctional settings
Objective 2.3: Increase the capacity of the public health, health care delivery, and health care workforce to effectively identify, diagnose, and provide holistic care and treatment for people with viral hepatitis
Objective 2.4: Support the development and uptake of new and improved diagnostic technologies, therapeutic agents, and other interventions for the identification and treatment of viral hepatitis
Goal 3: Reduce Viral Hepatitis–Related Disparities and Health Inequities
Objective 3.1: Reduce stigma and discrimination faced by people with and at risk for viral hepatitis
Objective 3.2: Reduce disparities in new viral hepatitis infections, knowledge of status, and along the cascade/continuum of care
Objective 3.3: Expand culturally competent and linguistically appropriate viral hepatitis prevention, care, and treatment services
Objective 3.4: Address social determinants of health and co-occurring conditions
Goal 4: Improve Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Data Usage
Objective 4.1: Improve public health surveillance through data collection, case reporting, and investigation at the national, state, tribal, local, and territorial health department levels
Objective 4.2: Improve reporting, sharing, and use of clinical viral hepatitis data
Objective 4.3: Conduct routine analysis of viral hepatitis data and disseminate findings to inform public health action and the public
Goal 5: Achieve Integrated, Coordinated Efforts That Address the Viral Hepatitis Epidemics among All Partners and Stakeholders
Objective 5.1: Integrate programs to address the syndemic of viral hepatitis, HIV, STIs, and substance use disorders
Objective 5.2: Establish and increase collaboration and coordination of viral hepatitis programs and activities across public and private stakeholders
Objective 5.3: Identify, evaluate, and scale up best practices through implementation and communication science research
Objective 5.4: Improve mechanisms to measure, monitor, evaluate, report, and disseminate progress toward achieving organizational, local, and national goals
Learn more about the Viral Hepatitis Plan or download the plan to read it.
