WHO Raises Alarm Over Rising Cases of Hepatitis

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over the increasing prevalence and mortality rates associated with viral hepatitis worldwide, as highlighted in the latest Global Hepatitis Report.

The 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, indicates that hepatitis is the second leading infectious disease, claiming 1.3 million lives annually, on par with tuberculosis.

Recent data from 187 countries reveals a rise in deaths from viral hepatitis from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022., with 83% attributed to hepatitis B and 17% to hepatitis C. Shockingly, 3,500 lives are lost daily to hepatitis B and C infections globally, underscoring the urgent need for action.

While advancements in diagnostics and treatments are available, testing and treatment coverage rates remain stagnant. The WHO emphasizes the crucial need for immediate intervention to achieve the elimination goal by 2030.

“However, reaching the WHO elimination goal by 2030 should still be achievable, if swift actions are taken now,” the report noted.

WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus expressed alarm at the escalating death toll due to low diagnosis and treatment rates among those affected by hepatitis. He described the data from the report as worrisome.

“This report paints a troubling picture: despite progress globally in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are rising because far too few people with hepatitis are being diagnosed and treated,” he said.

He, however, added that efforts are underway to support countries in implementing cost-effective interventions to reverse this disturbing trend.

“WHO is committed to supporting countries to use all the tools at their disposal — at access prices — to save lives and turn this trend around,” he said.

The updated WHO estimates report 254 million individuals living with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C in 2022, with a higher prevalence among adults aged 30–54 — with 12 percent among children under 18 years of age while men accounted for 58 percent of all cases.

The data reveals areas of progress, including a slight increase in diagnosis and treatment rates since 2019, yet global targets for treatment remain unmet.

The new cases, when compared to 2019, indicate a decrease in the number of infections, however, the overall incidence of viral hepatitis remains high.

It noted that in 2022, there were 2.2 million new infections, down from 2.5 million in 2019 including 1.2 million new hepatitis B infections and nearly 1 million new hepatitis C infections, adding that more than 6000 people are getting newly infected with viral hepatitis daily.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Across all the world regions, the report noted that only 13 percent of people living with chronic hepatitis B infection had been diagnosed and approximately 3 percent (7 million) had received antiviral therapy by the end of 2022.

While for hepatitis C, 36 percent had been diagnosed and 20 percent (12.5 million) received curative treatment.

These results fall well below the global targets to treat 80 percent of people living with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C by 2030 but show a slight but consistent improvement in diagnosis and treatment coverage since its last report estimates in 2019.

“Hepatitis B diagnosis increased from 10 percent to 13 percent and treatment from 2 percent to 3 percent, and hepatitis C diagnosis from 21 percent to 36 percent and treatment from 13 percent to 20 percent,” it revealed.

A Global Problem

Regional disparities in the burden of hepatitis are evident, with the African region shouldering the highest hepatitis B burden.

“The WHO African Region bears 63 percent of new hepatitis B infections, yet despite this burden, only 18 percent of newborns in the region receive the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination.

“In the Western Pacific Region, which accounts for 47 percent of hepatitis B deaths, treatment coverage stands at 23 percent among people diagnosed, which is far too low to reduce mortality, it noted.

Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, and Vietnam, collectively shoulder nearly two-thirds of the global burden of hepatitis B and C.

Efforts to scale up prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in key countries are highlighted as essential to achieving universal access by 2025.

“Achieving universal access to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in these ten countries by 2025, alongside intensified efforts in the African Region, is essential to get the global response back on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals,” it noted.

The disparities in prices exist both across and within WHO regions, with many countries paying above global benchmarks, even for off-patent drugs or when included in voluntary licensing agreements.

The report added that “only 60 percent of reporting countries offer viral hepatitis testing and treatment services free, either entirely or partially, in the public sector. Financial protection is lower in the African Region, where only about one-third of reporting countries provide these services free.”

Actions Needed Amid Challenges

Challenges such as limited funding and disparities in pricing pose obstacles to addressing hepatitis effectively across the globe.

“This arises from a combination of factors, including limited awareness of cost-saving interventions and tools, as well as competing priorities in global health agendas. This report seeks to shed light on strategies for countries to address these inequities and access the tools at the most affordable prices available,” the report said.

The report outlines strategies to enhance access to testing, diagnostics, and equitable treatment, emphasizing the need for collective action to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.

Simplifying service delivery, optimizing product regulation and supply, developing investment cases in priority countries, and mobilizing innovative financing are also strategies that could help curb the spread of the disease.