On World Hepatitis Day, WHO called for scaling up testing and treatment for viral hepatitis, warning that more people could die from malaria, tuberculosis and HIV combined globally by 2040 if current infection trends continue .
Hepatitis can lead to liver damage and cancer, and kills more than one million people each year. Of the five types of hepatitis, hepatitis B and C cause the most disease and death. Although hepatitis C is curable, only 21% of those infected were diagnosed and 13% received curative treatment. As for chronic hepatitis B, only 10% of those infected are diagnosed, and only 2% of these receive life-saving drugs.
Under the motto “One life, one liver”, the World Health Organization this year emphasized the importance of protecting the liver from hepatitis in order to live a long and healthy life. Good liver health also benefits other vital organs, such as the heart, brain and kidneys, which depend on the liver for their function.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “While we have better tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment than ever before, millions of people around the world still live with undiagnosed and untreated hepatitis. WHO remains Committed to helping countries expand access to these tools, especially increasingly cost-effective treatments, to save lives and eradicate these diseases.”
WHO will issue guidelines to track countries’ progress towards eliminating these diseases by 2030. To reduce new infections and deaths from hepatitis B and C, countries must provide treatment to all infected pregnant women and vaccinate their children against hepatitis B. Diagnoses 90% of patients with hepatitis B or C and treats 80% of those diagnosed. Other important measures include ensuring transfusions are performed under optimal conditions, following safety precautions when giving injections, and taking steps to reduce the risk of injury.
Vaccination, testing and treatment: important steps to protect the liver from hepatitis
Vaccination against hepatitis B in children is critical to limit viral hepatitis infection in general. Although this is the only Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) health target to be met by 2020 and on track to be achieved by 2030, many African countries have yet to vaccinate newborns against hepatitis B. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, recently revived its vaccine investment strategy launched in 2018, which includes the availability of the vaccine, which will help restart newborn vaccination programs in West and Central Africa, where rates of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B remain high. high.
WHO recommends screening all pregnant women for hepatitis B during pregnancy, treating them if they test positive, and vaccinating newborns to help eliminate mother-to-child transmission. However, the World Health Organization explained in a recent report that of the 64 countries that have regulations to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, only 32 have implemented testing and treatment activities for these infections in antenatal clinics .
Similarly, the report showed that of the 103 countries that responded to the questionnaire, 80% of HIV-infected care facilities were tested and treated for hepatitis B, compared with 65% for hepatitis C. Further expansion of hepatitis testing and treatment in HIV programs will protect HIV-positive individuals from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The number of people receiving treatment for hepatitis C has been increasing in recent years, but the trend is slowing. The World Health Organization recommends taking advantage of falling drug prices to promote these treatments. A 12-week regimen to treat hepatitis C in low-income countries now costs US$ 60, compared with more than US$ 90,000 when it was first introduced in high-income countries. As for hepatitis B, treatment costs less than US$ 30 per year ($2.4 per month).
To maintain liver health, WHO recommends hepatitis screening and treatment when one of these infections is diagnosed, in addition to hepatitis B vaccination. Cutting down on alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing diabetes and high blood pressure are also important.