Viral Hepatitis Infections on the Rise, Challenges Global Progress: WHO Report
The Impact of Viral Hepatitis
More than 6,000 people a day are infected with viral hepatitis — and progress fighting the disease has stalled, a recently released World Health Organization (WHO) report suggests.
WHO Report Assesses Global Burden of Viral Hepatitis
The analysis, released at the World Hepatitis Summit in Lisbon this month, examines the burden of viral hepatitis in 187 countries and evaluates the world’s progress toward eliminating the disease.
Causes and Prevention of Hepatitis
Hepatitis can be caused by heavy alcohol use, certain medications, and viral infections that lead to liver inflammation, jaundice, fever, and other symptoms. Vaccination can help prevent certain types of viral hepatitis. Hepatitis B and C, in particular, are severe strains that can lead to long-term diseases. Among these, hepatitis B causes the vast majority of deaths.
Facing the Escalating Challenge
The WHO report highlights the alarming increase in deaths from viral hepatitis, now ranking as the second-leading cause of death among non-COVID communicable diseases worldwide. In 2022, viral hepatitis deaths rose to 1.3 million globally, up from 1.1 million in 2019. Despite a decrease in new cases during this period, the report indicates that the world is currently “off-track” to reach WHO’s goal of reducing new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65% by 2030.
Global Disparities in Disease Burden
Ten countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Russia account for two-thirds of the global disease burden of viral hepatitis. Inequities in primary care, medication availability, testing, and vaccination contribute to these disparities, as stated in the report.
Bridging the Gap for Effective Control
WHO Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that despite global progress in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are still rising due to the insufficient diagnosis and treatment of people with hepatitis. The report identifies funding challenges that could further impede progress. However, the WHO concludes that expanding equitable access to hepatitis interventions through a public health approach has the potential to put the world back on track and eliminate the disease by the end of the decade.
