Johannesburg: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged the public to get tested and treated for Hepatitis as the world observes World Hepatitis Day. The theme for World Hepatitis Day 2026, "Hepatitis: Let's break it down," emphasizes removing barriers that hinder access to life-saving services. Viral Hepatitis remains a significant cause of preventable illness and death globally.
According to South African Government News Agency, the WHO has highlighted that the tools necessary to eliminate viral Hepatitis are already available. These include effective vaccines, accurate diagnostics, curative treatments for Hepatitis C, and lifelong therapies for Hepatitis B, all of which can prevent infections, save lives, and reduce liver cancer and cirrhosis. Despite the availability of these treatments, millions remain undiagnosed, untreated, or unable to access care due to stigma, limited awareness, health system gaps, and persistent inequalities.
The 2026 campaign calls for turning proven science into action through stronger political commitment, sustained investment, and efforts to expand equitable access to prevention, testing, treatment, and care. The public is urged to get tested for Hepatitis B and C, promote routine Hepatitis B testing in antenatal care settings, and encourage hepatitis B vaccination for newborns within 24 hours, along with completing the childhood vaccination series. Additionally, the public is encouraged to learn the facts, communicate with healthcare providers about early testing and treatment, and help stop stigma by sharing accurate information.
The WHO describes Hepatitis as an inflammation of the liver caused by various infectious viruses and non-infectious agents, leading to severe illness, including liver damage and cancer. There are five main strains, types A, B, C, D, and E, with types B and C leading to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people. They are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and viral hepatitis-related deaths, causing an estimated 1.3 million deaths annually.
Approximately 304 million people worldwide live with Hepatitis B or C, with testing and treatment remaining out of reach for most. The WHO's Global Health Sector Strategy on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (2022-2030) aims to reduce new infections to just over 500,000 per year and deaths to 450,000 by 2030. Without urgent and sustained action, viral Hepatitis is projected to cause an additional 9.5 million new infections, 2.1 million liver cancer cases, and 2.8 million deaths by 2030. These outcomes are largely preventable through the scale-up of Hepatitis B vaccination and improved access to prevention, testing, and treatment for Hepatitis B and C.
