Hepatitis kills 3,500 people daily. A good part of the problem is political: Testing and treatment coverage rates have stagnated. Furthermore, despite the availability of affordable generic medicines, many countries are unable to purchase them at these lower prices.
The number of lives lost to viral hepatitis infections is increasing and already accounts for 3,500 deaths daily , according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report published on Tuesday.
The disease is the second infectious cause of death in the world, with 1.3 million deaths per year, the same as tuberculosis, another of the main causes of infectious death, according to the World Hepatitis Report 2024 of the World Organization. of Health (WHO).
"This report presents a worrying picture," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the UN agency. "Despite global progress in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are increasing because too few people with hepatitis are being diagnosed and treated."
Quick course correction
Although better tools for diagnosis and treatment are available and product prices are falling, testing and treatment coverage rates have stagnated, WHO says in the report, released at the World Hepatitis Summit. .
However, reaching the elimination goal by 2030 should be possible if quick action is taken now, the agency said. "WHO is committed to supporting countries to use all the tools at their disposal, at affordable prices, to save lives and change this trend," Tedros said.
Increase in deaths
New data from 187 countries show that the estimated number of deaths from viral hepatitis increased from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022. Of these, 83% were caused by hepatitis B and 17% by hepatitis c.
Updated estimates indicate that 254 million people are living with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C in 2022. Half of the burden of chronic hepatitis B and C infections is among people ages 30 to 54, and 12% is among children. . Men represent 58% of all cases.
Prevention of hepatitis B infection through immunization in childhood substantially reduces chronic infections and cases of liver cancer and cirrhosis in adulthood.
Gaps in diagnosis and treatment
Across all regions, only 13% of people living with chronic hepatitis B infection had been diagnosed and approximately 3%, or seven million, had received antiviral therapy by the end of 2022, well below global targets. treat 80% of people living with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C by 2030.
The burden of viral hepatitis also varies by region. The African region bears 63% of new hepatitis B infections, but despite this burden, only 18% of newborns in the region receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth.
In the Western Pacific region, where 47% of hepatitis B deaths occur, treatment coverage is 23% among people diagnosed, too low to reduce mortality.
Furthermore, despite the availability of affordable generic viral hepatitis medications, many countries are unable to purchase them at these lower prices.
Eradicate the epidemic
The report outlines a series of measures to advance a public health approach to viral hepatitis, designed to accelerate progress towards ending the epidemic by 2030.
These include expanding access to testing and diagnosis, strengthening prevention efforts in primary care, and moving from policy to implementation for equitable treatment.
However, funding remains a challenge as current levels are insufficient to meet needs.
According to the WHO, this is due to a combination of factors, including limited knowledge of cost-saving interventions and tools and competing health priorities.
The new report also highlights strategies for countries to address these inequalities and access tools at the most affordable prices available.
