It’s time for action
Viral hepatitis is a serious infection that causes liver damage and liver cancer. Among the five strains of the hepatitis viruses, B and C are the most common. In the Western Pacific Region, about 96.8 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B and around 7.1 million are living with chronic hepatitis C, accounting for one third of the global burden of hepatitis B and C. Despite the availability of effective and affordable interventions that could prevent new infections and deaths, viral hepatitis remains a persistent cause of death in the Region, with an estimated 561 000 deaths due to hepatitis B and C each year.
Under the theme “It’s time for action”, this year’s World Hepatitis Day highlights the need for collaborative action to expand access to diagnosis and treatment in countries. Only 1 in 4 people living with hepatitis B have been diagnosed and only 1 in 5 received appropriate treatment. Similarly, only 1 in 2 people living with hepatitis C have been diagnosed and only 1 in 6 have been cured. It is vital to bring hepatitis prevention and treatment services closer to communities at the primary health care level to reach unreached populations and reduce illnesses and deaths. By acting now, we can save lives, prevent new infections, reduce liver cancer cases, decrease deaths, lower healthcare costs, and achieve hepatitis elimination goals by 2030.
The Region has made significant progress in controlling hepatitis B through national vaccination programs. In 2023, 80% of newborns received a timely birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, and 93% completed a 3-dose vaccination series for long-term protection. The Region has met the 2020 target of reducing the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) to below 1% in young children and is on track to achieve future targets of 0.5% by 2025 and 0.1% by 2030.
In time for World Hepatitis Day, the WHO Western Pacific Region will launch a new interactive data visualization tool, the WPRO Hepatitis Dashboard, to track regional progress toward hepatitis elimination targets. This interactive dashboard will provide an overview of the latest available data from countries in the Region, including the prevalence of hepatitis B and C infections, deaths attributable to hepatitis B and C, vaccination rates, and coverage of diagnosis and treatment.
WHO also continues to support countries in monitoring their progress and validating hepatitis elimination through the newly established Regional Validation Advisory Group on Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis, and Accelerated Control of Viral Hepatitis in the Western Pacific Region (WP RVAG). This expert panel will provide independent guidance on countries’ efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B, and to achieve overall hepatitis elimination goals in the Western Pacific Region.
This World Hepatitis Day, we call on countries to expand access to simplified and equitable interventions for viral hepatitis. Let us commit to taking bold and decisive action. Together, we can make hepatitis elimination a reality by 2030.