The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that viral hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of death globally, with 1.3 million deaths per year, on par with tuberculosis. Despite the availability of better diagnostic tools and decreasing product prices, testing and treatment coverage rates have stalled, leading to an increase in deaths. The WHO Director-General emphasized the need for swift action to reach the WHO elimination goal by 2030 and stated that the agency is committed to supporting countries in saving lives and reversing this trend.
New data from 187 countries revealed that more than 6,000 people are newly infected with viral hepatitis each day, resulting in an estimated 1.3 million deaths in 2022, up from 1.1 million in 2019. The majority of these deaths, 83 percent, were caused by hepatitis B, with the remaining 17 percent attributed to hepatitis C. The report also highlighted that 254 million people are living with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C in 2022, with half of the burden falling on individuals aged 30 to 54 years old, and 12 percent among children. Men account for 58 percent of all cases.
Globally, only 13 percent of people living with chronic hepatitis B infection have been diagnosed, and approximately three percent have received antiviral therapy, falling significantly below the global targets to treat 80 percent of those with chronic hepatitis B and C by 2030. The WHO African Region carries 63 percent of new hepatitis B infections, but only 18 percent of newborns in the region receive the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination. Treatment coverage in the western Pacific region, which accounts for 47 percent of hepatitis B deaths, stands at 23 percent among those diagnosed, indicating a need for increased efforts to reduce mortality.
The report also highlighted regional disparities in diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis, with the WHO African Region facing a significant burden of new hepatitis B infections and low vaccination coverage for newborns. In the western Pacific region, treatment coverage is insufficient to reduce mortality from hepatitis B. Despite the availability of affordable generic viral hepatitis medicines, many countries have failed to procure them at lower prices, further exacerbating the gap in access to treatment. The WHO emphasized the need for countries to take action now to save lives and achieve the WHO elimination goal by 2030.
In Chile, new hepatitis treatments have led to around 98 percent of people diagnosed with hepatitis C receiving treatment, demonstrating the potential for success in addressing viral hepatitis. The WHO called for a swift course correction to address the rising deaths from viral hepatitis and reiterated its commitment to supporting countries in utilizing all available tools to save lives and reverse the current trend. By taking immediate action, it is still possible to achieve the WHO elimination goal by 2030 and reduce the global burden of viral hepatitis.
