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According to experts, with challenges such as awareness, accessibility, compliance and affordability, India can only eradicate hepatitis by 2080 (as against global goal of 2030) if they start acting now.
In 2016, of the 400 million people infected by viral hepatitis globally, about 13% were Indians. “There is need for immediate and urgent action to arrest the spread of hepatitis. In the South-East Asia Region, viral hepatitis is driving rates of liver cancer and cirrhosis, and is causing premature death and disease with over 100 million people chronically infected with Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C,” WHO’s Regional Director for South East Asia Poonam Khetrapal Singh told TOI.
According to experts, with challenges such as awareness, accessibility, compliance and affordability, India can only eradicate hepatitis by 2080 (as against global goal of 2030) if they start acting now.
Interestingly, a very effective vaccine is available against one of the most prevalent forms, hepatitis B, and more than 90% cases of hepatitis C are curable. Yet the mortality from the disease in the country is high, primarily due to low awareness and late diagnosis. HCV is significantly under recognized and underdiagnosed as patients may not show symptoms until more serious liver injury develops, such as cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or liver cancer, particularly among those who are immunocompromised or are thalassemic.