August 8-9, 2017, Anchorage, AK, USA
The vision of the second WIPCVH was to bring together members of the Indigenous populations of the world to discuss, deliberate and plan, with respect to viral hepatitis. By bringing together Indigenous peoples, those living with viral hepatitis, clinicians, researchers and policy-makers, the conference aimed to encourage conversations and network-building so that experience and expertise can be shared and disseminated.
This second meeting had five major aims:
- To facilitate an international network of researchers, policy-makers, clinicians and people living with viral hepatitis to convene, deliberate, profile and negotiate consensus on approaches concerning viral hepatitis in Indigenous peoples;
- To continue to discuss and document our knowledge of the prevalence of hepatitis viruses in Indigenous peoples across the globe and to profile and summarize current national activities;
- To review our consensus statement on viral hepatitis and Indigenous peoples to assist nations, states, clinicians, researchers, scientists, people living with hepatitis, and Indigenous communities, to address viral hepatitis;
- To establish an on-going International Forum with contributions from Indigenous peoples across the globe; and
- To develop an on-going agenda for 2015-2025 for future conferences, workshops and symposia.
The program reflected these aims and a number of conference themes were agreed by the Organizing Committee. The conference focused on Hepatitis B (HBV) – including Hepatitis D co-infection – and Hepatitis C (HCV) across a broad agenda from clinical medicine and research, health services and public health, through to self-determination and human rights. Specifically, we invited papers from Indigenous peoples – and those researching with Indigenous peoples – which focused on: prevalence and incidence; prevention; treatment; cultural care and Indigenous approaches; national strategies; stigma and discrimination; human rights; quality care; medicines and pharmaceuticals; models of care in Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C; and co-infection.
The involvement of a wide range Indigenous peoples was considered a priority for the conference, and so plans were made to support Indigenous presenters and delegates from across the globe through the provision of travel, accommodation and registration scholarships. The conference brought together delegates from 14 countries representing a wide range of organizations, health providers and universities.