Introduction: During the World Hepatitis Summit (WHS) 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its “Global Hepatitis Report 2024: Action for Access in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.” The summit, organized by the World Hepatitis Alliance with support from the Ministry of Health of Portugal, focused on the theme “Integrate, Accelerate, Eliminate.”
Key Points:
- Death Toll: Viral hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of death globally after tuberculosis, claiming 1.3 million lives annually.
- Focus: The report highlights disparities in pricing, service delivery, and funding challenges, while also addressing progress and gaps in diagnosis and treatment across 187 countries.
Highlights:
- Annual Deaths: Viral hepatitis claims 1.3 million lives yearly, with 83% due to hepatitis B and 17% due to hepatitis C.
- Global Burden: In 2022, 254 million people had hepatitis B, and 50 million had hepatitis C. Half of the burden is among those aged 30-54, with 12% in children under 18. Men constitute 58% of all cases.
- Top 10 Burdened Countries: Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, and Vietnam account for nearly two-thirds of the global burden of hepatitis B and C.
- Infection Rates: Despite a slight decrease in new infections, there were 2.2 million new cases in 2022, with 1.2 million hepatitis B and nearly 1 million hepatitis C infections.
- Diagnosis and Treatment: Only 13% of people with chronic hepatitis B and 36% with hepatitis C have been diagnosed, far below the global target to treat 80% by 2030.
Challenges and Recommendations:
- Rising Deaths: Deaths from hepatitis are increasing due to inadequate diagnosis and treatment.
- Universal Access: By 2025, universal access to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment is crucial, especially in the 10 countries with the highest burden and in the African region.
- Pricing Disparities: Many countries do not buy affordable generic hepatitis medicines, leading to significant price differences worldwide.
Recommendations for Accelerating Hepatitis Elimination:
- Expand access to testing and diagnostics.
- Shift focus from policies to implementation for equitable treatment.
- Strengthen primary care prevention efforts.
- Simplify service delivery and optimize product regulation and supply.
- Develop investment cases in priority countries and mobilize innovative financing.
- Utilize improved data for action and engage affected communities and civil society.
- Advance research for improved diagnostics and potential cures for hepatitis B.
About WHO:
- Secretary-General: Celeste Saulo
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Established: 1950
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