World Hepatitis Day 2022; July 28th.

 FORUM: Bringing hepatitis care closer to you. World Hepatitis Day 2022.

The WHO is highlighting the need for bringing hepatitis care closer to the primary health facilities and communities so that people have better access to treatment and care, no matter what type of hepatitis they may have. WHO aims to achieve hepatitis elimination by 2030. To get there, WHO calls on countries to achieve specific targets:

• Reduce new infections of hepatitis B and C by 90%;
• Reduce hepatitis related deaths from liver cirrhosis and cancer by 65%;
• Ensure that at least 90% of people with hepatitis B and C virus are diagnosed; and
• At least 80% of those eligible receive appropriate treatment.

World Hepatitis is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, which 

causes inflammation of the liver that leads to severe disease and liver cancer.

The world is currently facing a new outbreak of unexplained acute hepatitis infections affecting

 children. WHO, together with scientists and policymakers in affected countries, are working to 

understand the cause of this infection that does not appear to belong to any of the known 5 types

 of hepatitis viruses: A,B,C,D, and E. This new outbreak brings focus on thousands of acute 

viral hepatitis infections that occur among children, adolescents and adults every year. Most acute

hepatitis infections cause mild  disease and even go undetected. But in some cases, they can lead 

complications and be fatal. In 2019  alone, an estimated 78 000 deaths occurred worldwide due to

complications of acute hepatitis A to E infections.

Global efforts prioritize the elimination of the hepatitis infections B, C and D infections. Unlike 

acute viral hepatitis, these 3 infections cause chronic hepatitis that lasts for several decades and

culminate in over 1 million deaths per year from cirrhosis and liver cancer. These 3 types of chronic

hepatitis infections are responsible for over 95% of hepatitis deaths. While we have the guidance 

and tools to diagnose, treat, and prevent chronic viral hepatitis, these services are often out of reach

of communities and are sometimes only available at centralized/specialized hospitals.

 

            

KEY MESSAGES
1. Establish high quality hepatitis services

Ensuring everyone has access to hepatitis services that responds to their needs and that 

are equitable, effective, efficient, timely and of an acceptable quality.

 
2. Locate hepatitis care close to home

Decentralizing hepatitis care to peripheral health facilities, community-based venues

and locations beyond hospital sites, brings care nearer to patients’ homes.

 
3. Promote task-sharing

Using non-specialist health workers who are trained in these areas

4. Integrate and link hepatitis care with existing public health services

Hepatitis treatment and care can be expanded using primary care as well as HIV, harm reduction 

services (OSTs and needle exchange programs), as well as prison health services.

5. Ensure resilient and equitable health systems

Strong health systems that are adequately funded and equipped can deliver quality hepatitis 

care to all.



CALLS TO ACTION

Public

• Educate yourself and play a part to stop transmission of hepatitis in the community.
• Speak to your health care worker and ensure timely testing and treatment to prevent cirrhosis and liver disease.
• Make sure you get tested for hepatitis B if pregnant. This can prevent transmission to babies.
• Ensure your baby is vaccinated against hepatitis B within 24 hours of birth.

Global leaders

• Focus on decentralizing care to lower-level facilities, primary health and other relevant services including HIV, harm reduction and prison services
• Prioritize embedding hepatitis care with primary health care to promote person-centred care
• Ensure adequate funding for hepatitis care and mobilization of domestic funds
• Universal health coverage for all people living with chronic hepatitis B and C

National leaders, and especially those in highly affected countries

• A world without viral hepatitis by 2030 starts with your country. Scale up and decentralize testing and treatment services to primary health care
• Honour commitments already made and further commit to prioritise and fund comprehensive hepatitis programmes so that everyone, everywhere, has access to affordable prevention, testing, treatment and care
• Enhance integrated service delivery and task sharing delivered by trained non-specialist clinicians
• Integrate hepatitis reporting and monitoring into existing surveillance and health information systems
• Sustain hepatitis services as part of universal health coverage
• Engaging communities in hepatitis services, leverage private sector and beyond health sector.