Viral hepatitis killing 3,500 people daily - WHO warns

Viral hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of death globally, this is according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report.

WHO’s 2024 Global Hepatitis Report states that deaths caused by the infectious killer have been on the rise, with 1.3 million people dying in 2022 from 1.1 million in 2019.

The research, which was released at the World Hepatitis Summit, emphasizes that testing and treatment coverage rates have stagnated in spite of improved diagnostic and treatment instruments and falling product costs.

The WHO noted that, if quick action is done now, achieving the 2030 eradication target is still be possible.

The organization added that 6,000 people are getting infected with viral hepatitis daily and at least 3,500 are dying within the same 24-hour period.

WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that despite the notable progress made globally in preventing infections, the report paints a troubling picture.

“Deaths are rising because far too few people with hepatitis are being diagnosed and treated. WHO is committed to supporting countries to use all the tools at their disposal,” Dr. Ghebreyesus said.

He urged more countries to increase up take and vaccinate infants for hepatitis B on time.

“We have powerful tools to prevent and diagnose and treat hepatitis; the challenge we face is to implement them at scale. Many of the barriers shared in this report can be overcome with improved policies, targeted interventions and concerted efforts of all stakeholders,” he said.

Although there has been a minor decline in incidence estimates from 2019, the overall rate of viral hepatitis is still rather high.

The new data collected from 187 countries showed 2.2 million new illnesses were reported in 2022 compared to 2.5 million in 2019.

It also stated that of the 2.2 million new infections, 1.2 million were hepatitis B, and nearly 1 million for hepatitis C.

The WHO report found that, in 2022, at least 50 million people were living with hepatitis C and another 254 million people with hepatitis B.

People aged 30-54 account for half of the burden of chronic hepatitis B and C infections, with children under the age of 18 accounting for 12%; Fifty-eight percent of instances involve men.

Africa accounts for 63% of new hepatitis infections, yet only 18% of newborns in the continent receive the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination.