Viral hepatitis is a pressing threat to public health. Every year, hepatitis kills an estimated 1.4 million people globally. Around 257 million people across the world live with hepatitis B, while roughly 71 million are infected with hepatitis C. Together these viral types account for more than 90% of hepatitis-related mortality. Significantly, the number of people that die from hepatitis annually is more than those killed by HIV/AIDS and close to the number killed by tuberculosis.
On World Hepatitis Day, we must reflect on these facts. We must also highlight the need to mobilize funding and invest in eliminating the scourge – precisely as this year’s World Hepatitis Day demands.
This is particularly true for the WHO South-East Asia Region, where hepatitis kills an estimated 410 000 people annually; where less than 10% of infected people know their status; and where less than 10% of those who do know their status are on treatment. Though resolve to fully implement the Regional Action Plan for Viral Hepatitis and achieve its time-bound targets is strong, accelerating progress and making full use of innovative policies and technologies requires increased – and targeted – investment.
As strong as awareness is, however, it must be matched by the effective implementation of key prevention strategies like rolling-out the vaccine’s birth dose, provision of re-use preventable injection equipment, increased haemovigilance, the collection of all blood from voluntary, non-remunerated donors, and the implementation of strategies to reduce the likelihood of sexual transmission or transmission among injecting drug users.
When infection does occur, early detection and treatment is key to avoiding complications such as fibrosis or liver cancer. Recent advances in direct-acting antiviral drugs mean that most people with hepatitis C can be completely cured with just 12 weeks of treatment. Even for hepatitis B, morbidity and mortality can be considerably reduced with the provision of lifelong treatment. Making the necessary investments in preventing, detecting and treating hepatitis is crucial to ensuring an integrated, system-wide approach can be taken, with community engagement and synergies across and beyond the health sector actively pursued.