New Delhi | 28 July 2022
The World Health
Organization today called for making quality hepatitis care affordable,
accessible, and integrated into primary health care, to bring these lifesaving
services closer to people and accelerate efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis
in the WHO South-East Asia Region by 2030.
“Viral hepatitis is preventable and treatable. Yet, an estimated 60 million
people live with chronic hepatitis B and about 10.5 million with chronic
hepatitis C in our Region. Our efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis can only
succeed if we ensure everyone everywhere has access to hepatitis services,”
said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region,
while addressing a virtual event to mark the World Hepatitis Day.
A strong advocate for elimination of viral hepatitis and a hepatitis survivor,
Mr Amitabh Bachchan, said in a video message, “For a person living with
hepatitis, every day is hepatitis day. I can feel the pain of a sufferer, the
pain of my near and dear ones seeing me suffer. We need to ask. What will it
take to prevent more people from losing their lives, their health to hepatitis?
We need to bring care closer to communities.”
Hepatitis kills more people than HIV and malaria - nearly one person every 30
seconds, globally.
“We are calling on countries to integrate quality, accessible and affordable
hepatitis care into primary health care services, in line with the Region’s new
Strategy for Primary Health Care, as well as new WHO Global Health Sector
Strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs),”
the Regional Director said.
A new Regional Action Plan on viral hepatitis, HIV and STIs, is being launched
in September with the aim to increase quality and efficiency, and leverage the
full power of primary health care, universal health coverage and health
systems. It will promote equity and innovation, and advance people-centred and
community-driven approaches.
The Regional Director said, to bring hepatitis care closer to communities, and
to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat, several priorities must be
addressed. Political commitment to eliminate hepatitis must be strengthened and
investment into high-quality, people-centered hepatitis care must be increased.
“Access for all to safe and effective vaccines and drugs, and point-of-care
diagnostics, must be improved, with a focus on increasing affordability,” she
said.
Communication and community engagement strategies must be strengthened to
reduce stigma and to increase awareness and testing, especially among
populations at higher risk.
“Importantly, we must explore service delivery models that are close to where
people live and work, and which are aligned with people’s needs, preferences
and health-seeking behaviors. We need to shift from the specialist domain, and
into communities,” the Regional Director emphasized.
Viral hepatitis can be prevented. Vaccination, especially Hepatitis B birth
dose followed by other doses in childhood vaccination schedule; safe injection;
safe blood transfusion and safe dental procedures are among key preventive
measures. Equally important is timely detection to ensure treatment, as only
10% people with hepatitis are aware of their status.
Mr Bachchan, in his video message on World Hepatitis Day, reiterated, “We must
collectively resolve, communicate and act. Action to eliminate viral hepatitis
cannot and must not wait.”
The virtual webinar organized by WHO South-East Asia Regional office was
attended by national progamme managers from Member countries, experts, partners
and representatives of organizations working at the community level.