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12/04/24 06:12 AM IST

Global Hepatitis Report 2024

In News
  • India is one of the countries with the highest burden of viral hepatitis — an infection that causes liver inflammation, damage and may lead to liver cancer.
Key highlights
  • India is one of the countries with the highest burden of viral hepatitis.
  • India has an estimated 2.9 crore people living with Hepatitis B infection and 0.55 crore living with Hepatitis C infection.
  • There were over 50,000 new Hepatitis B cases and 1.4 lakh new Hepatitis C cases reported in India in 2022.
  • These viral hepatitis infections killed 1.23 lakh people in India in 2022.
  • Both Hepatitis B and C infections are transmitted through various means, including mother-to-child transmission, unsafe blood transfusions, contact with infected blood, and needle-sharing among drug users.
  • Despite advancements in blood safety protocols, mother-to-child transmission remains a primary mode of infection for Hepatitis B in India.
Global trend
  • Viral hepatitis caused an estimated 1.3 million deaths globally in 2022, on par with tuberculosis.
  • Hepatitis B accounted for 83% of these deaths, while hepatitis C accounted for 17%.
  • The rise in mortality suggests an increase in hepatitis-related liver cancer cases and deaths.
  • The number of new viral hepatitis infections declined from 2.5 million in 2019 to 2.2 million in 2022.
  • Globally, an estimated 304 million people were living with hepatitis B and C in 2022.
  • WHO estimates indicate that 254 million people lived with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C in 2022.
  • 12% of the burden is among children, particularly for hepatitis B.
About Hepatitis
  • Hepatitis is caused by infectious viruses (viral hepatitis), and noninfectious agents, leading to a range of health problems, some of which can be fatal.
  • There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus: A, B, C, D, and E, each with different modes of transmission, severity, geographical distribution, and prevention methods.
  • Types B and C are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis (a condition in which the liver is scarred and permanently damaged), liver cancer, and viral hepatitis-related deaths.
  • Some types of hepatitis are preventable through vaccination, and an estimated 4.5 million premature deaths could be prevented by 2030 through vaccination, diagnostic tests, medicines, and education campaigns.
  • WHO's global hepatitis strategy aims to reduce new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65% between 2016 and 2030.
  • Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E can exhibit mild or no symptoms.
  • Symptoms of hepatitis A, B, and C include fever, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark-coloured urine, and jaundice.
  • Hepatitis D is found in people already infected with hepatitis B and can cause a more serious infection and accelerated progression to cirrhosis. Chronic hepatitis D is rare.
  • Hepatitis E symptoms include mild fever, reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, itching, skin rash, joint pain, jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, and hepatomegaly or acute liver failure.
Way forward
  • Treating an estimated 40 million people with hepatitis B and curing 30 million people with hepatitis C by 2026 is crucial to regain the trajectory towards elimination.
  • Targeted efforts are required to reach specific high-risk populations affected by viral hepatitis.
  • Integrate hepatitis services into primary healthcare settings to improve access for individuals across all socioeconomic backgrounds.
  • Expand and improve the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program by increasing funding, broadening its scope, and enhancing coordination among stakeholders. Prioritise early diagnosis and treatment initiation through the program.
Source- Indian Express

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