Bridging the Morbid Gulf EXPERTS CONVENE FOR SOLUTION

Marking World Hepatitis Day, experts at the Illness to Wellness Foundation Conference called for urgent awareness, screening, and vaccination measures to combat India's silent yet surging hepatitis crisis

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Hepatitis has emerged as a massive burden on India's healthcare landscape, affecting a significant proportion of its populace. There is a dire need for adequate awareness and preventive facilities to check the burgeoning of this curable scourge. On the apt occasion of World Hepatitis Day, the Illness to Wellness Foundation took a small but significant step to bridge the existing awareness gap. The Foundation brought together top public health experts, policymakers, and medical leaders under one roof in New Delhi, who shared vital information surrounding the disease.

"Only 3% of hepatitis B patients in India are aware of their condition, and less than 1% of eligible individuals are receiving antiviral treatment. These are not just statistics; they reflect a silent public health crisis that demands immediate, coordinated action," said Mr. Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, and Chairperson, Illness to Wellness Foundation. Mr. Bhushan was delivering his keynote address at the 'Illness to Wellness' Awareness Conference held in New Delhi to mark World Hepatitis Day, under the theme "Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment for Hepatitis."

Organised by the Illness to Wellness Foundation, the conference brought together leading medical experts, policymakers, and public health advocates to outline a comprehensive approach to tackling the hepatitis epidemic.

Mr. Bhushan underscored the need for bold, systemic efforts to scale awareness, diagnosis, and treatment across the country. He identified five urgent priorities to address the increasing hepatitis cases - expanded screening and surveillance, ensuring timely birth-dose vaccination, decentralisation of treatment access, driving community-level awareness, and using real-time data for action.