Introduction to the progress report, June 2019

As of 2015, there were 130 million people living with hepatitis B and hepatitis C in the Western Pacific Region. This represents 40% of the world’s hepatitis disease burden and results in more than 1200 deaths each day in this Region alone. Most of these deaths are from cirrhosis or liver cancer due to chronic hepatitis infection. The incidence of liver cancer is especially high in the Western Pacific, and six out of the 10 countries with the highest global incidence are located in the Region.

The Regional Action Plan for Viral Hepatitis in the Western Pacific 2016–2020 provides a framework consisting of five priority areas to help guide countries and areas as they develop their national responses to viral hepatitis. These priority areas are: advocacy and awareness, evidence-based policy, data and surveillance, stopping transmission, and the treatment cascade.

The following overview highlights the Region's progress since the endorsement of the Regional Action Plan and identifies where work is still required to reach the targets set for 2020. The report is organized by the five priority areas laid out in the Regional Action Plan, addressing each objective within those priority areas. Twenty six out of 37 countries and areas in the Western Pacific Region filled out the Joint Reporting Form for vaccination, providing information on hepatitis B control: a response of 70%. For other Regional Action Plan milestones and targets, WHO collected data updates from ministries of health and stakeholders including WHO collaborating centers. Information is updated till June 2019.