This year’s theme is “Hepatitis can’t wait”, conveying the urgency of efforts needed to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. With a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis related illness – even in the current COVID-19 crisis – we can’t wait to act on viral hepatitis.
The World Health Organization has said no fewer than three million people become infected every year with the Hepatitis virus.
The United Nations has planned to largely contain the
various forms of viral hepatitis by 2030.
But to achieve this, diagnosis and treatment must be
improved.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said this ahead of the World Hepatitis Day on Wednesday.
The WHO had called on governments to campaign to get more
people tested and treated.
“Hepatitis was an inflammation of the liver that can lead to
severe liver disease and cancer.
“There are five different types of viral hepatitis, from A
to E.
“They are triggered by viruses that are not related to each
other,’’ WHO stated.
The pathogens are transmitted through contaminated food in
the case of A and E, or through blood and sexual contact in the case of B and
C.
Hepatitis D only developed in people who have hepatitis B.
Hepatitis B and C are the most widespread and one of the
main causes of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
According to WHO, an estimated 354 million people worldwide
live with chronic hepatitis B or C.
Three million people become infected every year, and 1.1
million people die from it.
Although the diseases can be cured, there is a problem with
diagnosis.
According to WHO estimation in 2019, only 21 per cent of
people with chronic hepatitis C knew they were infected.
For hepatitis B, it is only 10 per cent of the infected
persons knew of their infections.
Because people at high risk of infection, such as some drug
users and men who have sex with men, tend to be harder for health services to
reach, WHO is advocating the provision of self-tests for hepatitis C.
In a new manual, it recommends how and where such tests can
be given and helpers trained to use them.
To mark the day, WHO is hosting a Global talk show providing a platform for global, regional and national leaders, policy makers, communities and other stakeholders to discuss opportunities for accelerating the hepatitis response to achieve elimination by 2030.
Contributions and stories from countries from different WHO regions will be showcased at the event. More information on speakers and registration/connectivity information will be made available shortly.