The physicians said this to commemorate the 2024 World Hepatitis Day celebration.
The WHD is observed every July 28 to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that causes severe liver disease and cancer. The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘It’s time for action.’
The university dons, said with a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis-related illness, the world must accelerate action on better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to save lives and improve health outcomes.
According to the WHO, there are five main strains of the hepatitis virus – A, B, C, D, and E, saying that together, hepatitis B and C are the most common infections.
The global health body noted that hepatitis B and C result in 1.3 million deaths and 2.2 million new infections per year. The WHO emphasised that reaching the WHO “elimination goal by 2030 should still be achievable if swift action is taken now,” saying that elimination of hepatitis can be a reality if the world works together.
The body added that types B and C hepatitis lead to chronic disease and together are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis, loss of liver function, liver cancer, and viral-hepatitis-related deaths.
Speaking exclusively with newsmen in different interviews, public health and infectious disease experts said there is a huge number of undiagnosed and untreated people living with hepatitis.
They noted that most symptoms only appear once the disease is advanced, with most people discovering they have hepatitis B or C when they develop serious liver disease or cancer.