Gates charity gives millions to fight hepatitis B

liver411

Gates' charity gives millions to fight hepatitis B in China

Fri May 31, 9:09 AM ET

By MARTIN FACKLER, Associated Press Writer



BEIJING - A charity created by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates (news - web sites) will donate dlrs 37.5 million to combat hepatitis B in China, where two-thirds of the disease's victims live.



  

The Vaccine Fund's gift will be used to help immunize 35 million infants over the next five years against the potentially lethal blood-borne ailment, fund Executive Vice President James Jones told The Associated Press on Friday.



The Chinese government will spend another dlrs 37.5 million on the project, which will buy vaccines to immunize newborn children in poor rural areas.



The money will also buy 500 million self-disabling syringes — specially designed to be used only one time. Reuse of dirty needles and syringes has been a leading cause of hepatitis B infection in China.



Jones said Chinese officials estimate the disease has infected more than 700 million Chinese. Every year, as many as 400,000 people in China die from liver cancer and other liver ailments caused by the disease, he said.



"eople forget that two-thirds of hepatitis B infections worldwide are in China. If we can make progress here, we're getting somewhere," Jones said.



He said the project will be finalized in an agreement to be signed Saturday in Beijing by The Vaccine Fund, the Chinese government and the U.N.-backed Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations.



UNICEF (news - web sites), which is part of the alliance, will help train Chinese health workers and monitor the money's use.



"If you want to look at a country that has to confront hepatitis B, this is the country," said UNICEF chief Carol Bellamy, who was also in Beijing for the signing.



Some 60 percent of China's 1.3 billion people have had hepatitis B in their lifetime. Most recover without problems, but about 100 million have become permanent carriers — meaning they can spread the disease and are vulnerable to liver illnesses.



Like the AIDS (news - web sites) virus, hepatitis B is spread through sex or contact with blood.



Experts say the disease in China is often spread among children, as doctors reuse needles and syringes while administering routine immunizations against other illnesses. This mostly takes place in poor rural areas.



"It's usually not a matter of bad training or even malice. It's a matter of poverty," Jones said.



He said one aim of the project is to supply enough self-disabling syringes to use in every immunization in China, not just hepatitis B shots.



Jones said only 40 percent of children in rural areas have been immunized against hepatitis B, versus 90 percent of urban children. That's because the three-shot immunization costs 21 yuan (dlrs 2.5) — too much for many impoverished families.



By offering the shots for free, the project hopes to bring the immunization rate up to 80 percent in rural areas, Jones said.



The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation created The Vaccine Fund three years ago with a dlrs 750 million grant. Donations by Western governments have helped increase the fund's size to dlrs 1.1 billion.





Tue Jun 4, 4:55 PM ET - (AP)

awei

HE IS MY IDOL.....

liver411

Actually, it is the people like Gates who push the society forward. He himself not only produces so many billionaires, he also makes so many middle-high class people in the world. He give some much his knowledge and asset to the people. Unselfish makes him more wealth and priceless.

awei

yea, i believe now that the society moves forward only when every people maximize his utility..