Eliminating Silent Killer Through Swift Actions

Hepatitis continues to wreak havoc globally, with the latest World Health Organization WHO) report sounding alarms on viral hepatitis infections claiming 3,500 lives each day. The WHO estimates from 2022 reveal that 254 million people live with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C. The Asia Pacific APAC) region is at the epicentre of this crisis, hosting the top 7 highburden countries. Let's discuss the progress of the region towards achieving the 2030 targets for hepatitis elimination and identify what actions are needed to achieve these goals.

- Ayesha Siddiqui

According to the WHO 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, viral hepatitis is on the rise and remains the second leading infectious cause of death globally, claiming 1.3 million lives annually, equivalent to tuberculosis. Ten countries account for nearly two-thirds of the global burden of viral hepatitis B and C: China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, The Philippines and the Russian Federation.

The APAC region is disproportionately affected, with 70 per cent of viral hepatitis deaths occurring here. Failure to act swiftly could lead to substantial economic losses, with projected costs of $558 billion for hepatitis B and $62 billion for hepatitis C due to illness and premature mortality, according to the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination report.

WHO has set a goal to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030, aiming for a 90 per cent reduction in incidence and a 65 per cent reduction in mortality from hepatitis B and C.

Progress so far

Most of the countries in the region have a national hepatitis elimination programme but progress remains somewhat unsatisfactory.

“Viral hepatitis has a devastating impact on South-East Asia and the Western Pacific regions, where an estimated 158 million people live with chronic hepatitis B and 16 million with chronic hepatitis C. Access to treatment for hepatitis B and C remains a challenge in many Asian countries due to cost and healthcare infrastructure limitations. Furthermore, vertical transmission (from mother to child) of hepatitis B is a major concern in the region. Such a heavy prevalence has a profound disruptive effect on society in the region. On top of causing a tragic loss of life, viral hepatitis poses a huge societal and financial burden and drives inequality,” said

Benedetta Nirta, Deputy Director and Fundraising Manager at The Hepatitis Fund, Geneva.