On World Hepatitis Day (28 July) the Public Health Agency is supporting the World Hepatitis Alliance campaign message to eliminate hepatitis. In May 2016, the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) on viral hepatitis 2016–2021. This calls for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030 (reducing new infections by 90% and deaths by 65%). Hepatitis B and C are responsible for 96% of all hepatitis deaths.

Figures published today by the Public Health Agency (PHA) have shown that in the five years since ‘Take Home Naloxone’ was introduced in Northern Ireland, the potentially life-saving medicine has been administered 112 times and has been successful in reversing an overdose on 98 occasions. Naloxone is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. It can very quickly restore normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of overdosing with heroin or prescription opioid pain medications.

Over the summer holidays many families will be heading off camping, caravanning or boating, so the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding people of the danger of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in enclosed spaces. Hilary Johnston, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager with the PHA, said: “While carbon monoxide is usually associated with domestic fossil fuel-burning appliances, incidents and even deaths can also occur in caravans and on board boats.