Giant puppets parade Copacabana Beach against hepatitis C

Traditional Olinda Carnival giant puppets were seen all around Copacabana Beach in Rio on Sunday (June 8) with World Cup team outfits as part of a campaign on hepatitis C. About 3 million Brazilians are estimated to have the disease, often unknowingly.

Launched by the Brazilian Association of People with Hepatitis (ABPH) and the Global Fund for Hepatitis, the “Football versus hepatitis” (“O futebol contra a hepatite”) campaign aims to raise official for the cause in the editions of the World Cup.

“We're using the world popular language of football to help raise awareness for hepatitis. Despite being so widespread it has become a global disaster [500 million people have hepatitis types B and C], the disease operates silently,” explained Humberto Silva, chairman to ABPH and the World Hepatitis Fund.

The giants paraded between Fort Copacabana and Copacabana Palace Hotel and attracted local attention. A kiosk with standby nurses was set up to provide screenings for free and give results in three minutes. Those found to have been infected were also offered expert advice.

A federal law enacted in 2005 ensures all Brazilians have the right to treat the disease – including access to medicines – under the public health system (SUS), whereby medical services are provided free of charge to the whole population. However, according to Silva, “only 5% of Brazilians are aware that they have been infected, and when they eventually find it out, it's too late.”

Translated by Mayra Borges