Shahenshah of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan was appointed as the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the Hepatitis in South-east Asia region to boost awareness and intensify action to stop the spread of hepatitis, which is one of the leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis.
“I am absolutely committed to the cause of hepatitis. As a person living with hepatitis B, I know the pain and sufferings that hepatitis causes. No one should ever suffer from viral hepatitis,” said Bachchan.
Announcing his association with WHO, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for WHO southeast Asia, said,” This association is expected to help strengthen WHO’s efforts in reducing the high numbers of premature deaths and illnesses from viral Hepatitis which is not only causing hardships to individuals and families, but also impacting health and development across the region.”
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Hepatitis is one of Bachchan’s many public health campaigns and recently, he lent his fame and face to tuberculosis, childhood immunisation, polio and campaigns. clean india
Amitabh got infected with hepatitis B in 1982 through a blood transfusion after an accident on the sets of his film, Coolie. Bachchan showed no symptoms for close to 18 years after being infected. In 2000, he was told after a routine health check-up that his liver was infected and he had lost 75 per cent of his liver function.
In a video message, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said,”Mr Bachchan’s voice is one that is listened to by people across the country, regardless of cultural, social or economic background and can make real change possible. We have witnessed this in polio eradication.”