Report: World Hepatitis Day 2010 in Germany

2010-06-10 10:05

WHD Posters in Hamburg

World Hepatitis Day in Germany received a lot of print, radio, TV and internet coverage in 2010. The ongoing World Health Assembly and the new WHO resolution on viral hepatitis created a lot of interest among journalists. In cooperation with other partners, Deutsche Leberhilfe e.V. organized various national and local events to celebrate World Hepatitis Day on 19th May 2010.

Public posters and Billboards in train and underground stations

In cooperation with Techniker health insurance and Deutsche Leberstiftung, Leberhilfe placed public posters in Hamburg, as well as billboard advertisements in train and underground stations of several large German cities. The message was “Are you tired? Listless? Absent-minded? – It could be your liver!” The web address of the German WHD site was then displayed at the bottom. The billboard advertisements were shown up to a 100 times every day and therefore reached several 1,000 people in each city every day.

Hamburg: school contest about hepatitis B

On 19th May, Leberhilfe, Leberstifung and Techniker health insurance started a hepatitis contest in schools in Hamburg, which is ongoing at this time. The participating students are to create hepatitis B posters as well as reports in school magazines and on the internet. The best works will receive a price at a ceremony in Hamburg at the end of June.

Nuremberg: Livercheck Bus

On 18th and 19th May, a so called “Lebertest-Bus” (Livercheck Bus) stood in the centre of Nuremberg, Germany and offered free ALT liver checks and FibroScan (elastography) to the general public. After receiving the test results, a doctor was available to explain the situation and advise on further diagnostic steps, if necessary. After local newspapers had advertised the event, it was overrun by people. In spite of wind and rain, long queues formed at the Liver Check Bus, with several people who came from out of town.

Press releases on WHD

In cooperation with Fleishman-Hillard Germany, press releases and a statement by Prof. Rita Süssmuth (patroness of Leberhilfe, and former president of Bundestag) were sent out to hundreds of local newspapers, radio and TV stations. In general, the media were even more receptive to World Hepatitis Day in 2010 than in the previous year. The pending WHO resolution on viral hepatitis, which was decided two days later, created additional interest among journalists. On a positive note, the message that hepatitis C is a curable disease was repeatedly stated in newspapers, the TV and radio.

Free newspaper advertisements

Leberhilfe prepared pro bono advertisements to download from our German WHD website at www.binichdienummer12.de, so that newspapers could support WHD for free. The adverts encouraged readers to "get your liver tested":

tl_files/elpa_bilder/2010-05-WHD_Germany_Posters2.jpg

Social Networking

As in 2009, Leberhilfe also reached out via social networks such as Facebook. The number of members on Leberhilfe's Facebook page doubled from about 80 to 145 by World Hepatitis Day. We intend to increase this number next year.

New record in internet hits

World Hepatitis Day 2010 was received most coverage on the internet again, with a total of 10,500 WHD reports in German language on 19th May. This is ten times as many German WHD reports as last year.

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