Amitabh Bachchan appointed WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently appointed popular Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan a Goodwill Ambassador for awareness of hepatitis in the region of Southeast Asia. Bachchan has himself had to survive a battle with the Hepatitis-B virus.

The World Health Organisation in their official statement said that Bachchan is now onboard with them to enhance awareness and intensify the efforts to curb the hepatitis epidemic.

According to a report by India Today, the legendary actor and philanthropist said,

I am absolutely committed to the cause of fighting hepatitis. As a person living with Hepatitis-B, I know the pain and sufferings that hepatitis causes. No one should ever suffer from viral hepatitis.

These public awareness programmes are going to be supported by the actor's voice, which he will lend with an objective of amplifying the preventive measures and arrange for early treatment of hepatitis.

According to NDTV, Health Minister J.P. Nadda said,

Bachchan's voice is one that is listened to by people across the country, regardless of cultural, social, or economic background, and can make real change possible. We have witnessed this in polio eradication.

Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO Southeast Asia, told India Today,

This association is expected to help strengthen the WHO's efforts in reducing the high numbers of premature deaths and illnesses from viral hepatitis, which is not only causing hardships to individuals and families, but also impacting health and development across the region.

Apart from this honour, Bachchan was also the Goodwill Ambassador for the campaign to eradicate polio in India, and has also been a part of plenty of support campaigns for health issues in the country.

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