17 May 2017 | News
Amitabh had earlier served as Unicef Goodwill Ambassador for the polio eradication campaign in India
Famous Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan, a Hepatitis B conqueror, was recently appointed as the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the Hepatitis awareness programme in southeast Asia region.
The veteran actor has been brought on board to boost awareness and intensify action to arrest the Hepatitis epidemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced in a statement.
He will lend his voice and support to public awareness programmes that aim to scale up preventive measures and advocate for early diagnosis and treatment of viral Hepatitis to reduce the disease burden.
Announcing his association with WHO, Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director for WHO southeast Asia, said, "This association is expected to help strengthen 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."