    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 128, 113th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    PROCLAMATION 9151--JULY 25, 2014

    Proclamation 9151 of July 25, 2014

    World Hepatitis Day, 2014

    By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    Around the world, one in twelve people are living with viral hepatitis.
    In the United States, millions of Americans are infected with this life-
    threatening disease, with more than two-thirds unaware of their
    infection status. Viral hepatitis can persist undetected for many years
    before revealing any symptoms, leading to long-term liver damage and
    thousands of American deaths each year. As we mark World Hepatitis Day,
    we strengthen our resolve to defeat this silent epidemic.
    All forms of viral hepatitis pose serious health threats, but building
    public awareness can help prevent new cases and more effectively treat
    this disease. A safe and effective vaccine protects against hepatitis A
    and B. While there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, early detection and
    therapy can prevent liver damage, cirrhosis, and liver cancer; reduce
    the risk of death; and potentially cure the infection.
    Though this disease can affect anyone, viral hepatitis impacts certain
    communities more than others. African Americans, American Indians, Asian
    American and Pacific Islanders, the baby boomer generation (those born
    between 1945 and 1965), and people living with HIV are all
    disproportionately affected by viral hepatitis. Incidence rates are also
    higher among people who inject drugs. We must ensure these hardest hit
    populations have information about screening, preventing, and treating
    viral hepatitis. And we must do more to address related health issues
    such as HIV and substance abuse.
    Through the Affordable Care Act, my Administration has made major
    strides in expanding access to viral hepatitis prevention, care, and
    treatment. New health plans must now cover hepatitis C routine screening
    for individuals at high-risk and one-time screening for adults born
    between 1945 and 1965. These preventive services will allow more
    Americans to know their status and seek treatment.
    Earlier this year, my Administration updated our Nation's first-ever
    comprehensive Action Plan for the Prevention, Care, and Treatment of
    Viral Hepatitis. Alongside Federal, private, and non-profit stakeholders
    across our country, we will continue to strengthen our Nation's
    response. Together, we can raise awareness, reduce the number of new
    cases, and save lives.
    Thanks to the tireless leadership of researchers and advocates, we are
    beginning to break the silence surrounding viral hepatitis. Today, we
    once again raise our voices, educate our at-risk communities, and
    support those living with this disease.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 28, 2014, as
    World Hepatitis Day. I encourage citizens, Government agencies, non-
    profit organizations, and communities across the Nation to join in
    activities that will increase awareness about hepatitis and what we can
    do to prevent it.

    [[Page 4190]]

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of
    July, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
    ninth.
    BARACK OBAMA