World Hepatitis Day - WHO calls for global access to immunization, diagnosis and treatment

In commemoration of this year's World Hepatitis Day (July 28, 2013), the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for increased global access to control measures such as immunization, diagnosis and treatment.


According to Dr Keiji Fukuda, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Security and the Environment, these are essential in order to lower the prevalence of the 5 hepatitis virus species that could infect human beings.

“The fact that many hepatitis B and C infections are silent, causing no symptoms until there is severe damage to the liver, points to the urgent need for universal access to immunization, screening, diagnosis and antiviral therapy,”Fukuda said.

In addition, Dr Sylvie Briand, Director, WHO Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases noted that future adverse effects of the virus could be prevented by putting in place available prevention measures.

"Many of the measures needed to prevent the spread of viral hepatitis disease can be put in place right now, and doing so will offset the heavy economic costs of treating and hospitalizing patients in future," Briand said.

The organization has also released the WHO "Global policy report on the prevention and control of viral hepatitis in WHO Member States." The report covers 126 countries and according to a statement issued by WHO, it "identifies successes as well as gaps at country level in the implementation of four priority areas. The priority areas are raising awareness, evidence-based data for action, prevention of transmission, and screening, care and treatment." 

"The findings show that 37 per cent of the countries have national strategies for viral hepatitis, and more work is needed in treating hepatitis. It also highlights that while most of the countries (82 per cent) have established hepatitis surveillance programmes, only half of them include the monitoring of chronic hepatitis B and C, which are responsible for most severe illnesses and deaths," WHO stated.