Global Efforts Intensify to Eliminate Viral Hepatitis Epidemic

Hepatitis remains a significant global health challenge, with viral types B, C, and D causing chronic illnesses and over 1.3 million deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite advances such as curative oral medications for hepatitis C and lifelong therapies for hepatitis B, many people remain undiagnosed or untreated due to stigma, lack of awareness, and funding gaps. India faces a growing hepatitis crisis compounded by metabolic disorders, with many patients only diagnosed after severe liver damage due to poor early symptom recognition. In the U.S., a small clinic in Buffalo, New York, has demonstrated a highly effective model for hepatitis C treatment, curing about 98% of its patients by providing rapid testing and treatment in a single visit within a stigma-free environment. This model has inspired calls for a national plan to eliminate hepatitis C, supported by bipartisan legislation aiming to increase federal investment in eradication efforts. WHO emphasizes the need for expanded vaccination, testing, harm reduction, and treatment services globally, alongside community leadership, to meet the goal of reducing liver cancer deaths by 2030.