WHO calls for ‘urgent global response’ to fight against hepatitis

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for a coordinated global effort to address the growing threat posed by hepatitis on a worldwide basis.

According to data from the WHO, an estimated 325 million people worldwide are living with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C virus infections, with a large majority of these lacking access to essential testing and treatment.

Viral hepatitis caused 1.34 million deaths in 2015, a number that is on the increase. Hepatitis B is most common in Africa and the western Pacific region, while hepatitis C is usually associated with unsafe injections in healthcare settings and injected drug use.

Just nine percent of all hepatitis B infections and 20 per cent of hepatitis C infections were diagnosed in 2015, meaning that significant progress needs to be made to meet the WHO's target of testing 90 percent and treating 80 percent of people with hepatitis by 2030.

Dr Margaret Chan, the WHO's director-general, said: "Vaccines and medicines to tackle hepatitis exist, and WHO is committed to helping ensure these tools reach all those who need them."

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