GENEVA (Reuters) - The number of deaths caused by viral hepatitis is rising and the disease has become the second leading infectious cause of death globally - with 1.3 million deaths per year - behind tuberculosis, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.
The WHO 2024 Global Hepatitis Report said new data from 187 countries shows that the projected number of deaths from viral hepatitis is expected to increase from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022. Of these, 83 percent were due to hepatitis B and 17 percent were deaths. by hepatitis c
"Every day, 3,500 people are dying globally due to hepatitis B and the infection," said the report released at the World Hepatitis Summit.
Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, and Vietnam collectively bear about two-thirds of the global burden of hepatitis B and C.Achieving universal access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment in these countries by 2025, along with intensified efforts in the African region, will help put the global response back on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN health agency said in a statement. essential for. ,
“This report paints a disturbing picture: despite progress globally in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are rising because too few people with hepatitis are diagnosed and treated,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. being done." “WHO is committed to helping countries use all the tools at their disposal to save lives and reverse this trend.”
Updated WHO estimates indicate that 254 million people were living with hepatitis and 50 million were living with hepatitis C in 2022; Half the burden of chronic hepatitis C infection is in people aged 30–54, with 12 per cent being in children under 18 years of age. The statement said that 58 percent of all cases are men.In addition to talking about global progress and gaps in diagnosis and treatment, the WHO 2024 Global Hepatitis Report also pointed to disparities in pricing of service delivery, saying funding remains a challenge.
The report outlines a series of actions to advance the public health approach to viral hepatitis, designed to accelerate progress toward ending the epidemic by 2030.
These include: expanding access to testing and diagnostics; translating policies into implementation for equitable treatment; strengthening primary car prevention efforts; Using better data to take action; and involving affected communities and civil society, among others.
The WHO 2024 Global Hepatitis Report said new data from 187 countries shows that the projected number of deaths from viral hepatitis is expected to increase from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022. Of these, 83 percent were due to hepatitis B and 17 percent were deaths. by hepatitis c
"Every day, 3,500 people are dying globally due to hepatitis B and the infection," said the report released at the World Hepatitis Summit.
Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, and Vietnam collectively bear about two-thirds of the global burden of hepatitis B and C.Achieving universal access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment in these countries by 2025, along with intensified efforts in the African region, will help put the global response back on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN health agency said in a statement. essential for. ,
“This report paints a disturbing picture: despite progress globally in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are rising because too few people with hepatitis are diagnosed and treated,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. being done." “WHO is committed to helping countries use all the tools at their disposal to save lives and reverse this trend.”
Updated WHO estimates indicate that 254 million people were living with hepatitis and 50 million were living with hepatitis C in 2022; Half the burden of chronic hepatitis C infection is in people aged 30–54, with 12 per cent being in children under 18 years of age. The statement said that 58 percent of all cases are men.In addition to talking about global progress and gaps in diagnosis and treatment, the WHO 2024 Global Hepatitis Report also pointed to disparities in pricing of service delivery, saying funding remains a challenge.
The report outlines a series of actions to advance the public health approach to viral hepatitis, designed to accelerate progress toward ending the epidemic by 2030.
These include: expanding access to testing and diagnostics; translating policies into implementation for equitable treatment; strengthening primary car prevention efforts; Using better data to take action; and involving affected communities and civil society, among others.
