As the world marks World Hepatitis Day on July 28, health experts and global stakeholders have renewed calls for urgent action to eliminate viral hepatitis as a major public health threat.
This year’s theme, “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” highlights the need to remove barriers preventing millions of people from accessing hepatitis prevention, testing, treatment, and care.
According to global health data, nearly 300 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B or C, diseases responsible for an estimated 1.3 million deaths each year. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, testing, and treatment, many people continue to face challenges in accessing essential healthcare services.
Health experts also expressed concern that only 43 per cent of newborns worldwide receive the critical hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine within the first 24 hours of life, leaving millions of infants vulnerable to infection.
To accelerate progress towards eliminating hepatitis, stakeholders are urging governments, healthcare providers, and communities to expand access to screening and treatment, ensure timely hepatitis B vaccination—particularly the birth dose—and intensify public awareness campaigns to combat misinformation and reduce stigma.
They also called for equitable access to hepatitis services, stressing that early detection and treatment remain key to preventing complications and saving lives.
As World Hepatitis Day is observed globally, individuals are encouraged to know their hepatitis status, get vaccinated where eligible, and support efforts aimed at ending hepatitis as a public health threat.
