WHO marks World Hepatitis Day calling for urgent action to dismantle financial, social, and systemic barriers blocking hepatitis elimination in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
With 27 million people affected and 97,000 annual preventable deaths, the campaign Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down demands integrated services and stigma reduction to prevent liver cancer.
Significant progress highlights the path forward. Egypt achieved global gold-tier status for hepatitis C elimination in 2023 through its presidential initiative, screening 60 million people and providing 4.3 million free treatments. This contributed to a 35% drop in hepatitis-related deaths since 2018. By December 2024, Egypt also became the region’s first country to control hepatitis B, reducing prevalence below 1% in children over age 5.
Pakistan has now launched an ambitious domestic program targeting hepatitis C elimination, pledging to test and treat 50% of eligible patients by 2027. WHO Regional Director Dr. Hanan Balkhy emphasized: “We need sustained investment in hepatitis B vaccination, universal testing, and maternal health integration to save lives.”
Key actions outlined include:
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Public: Demand hepatitis B/C testing during pregnancy, ensure newborns receive hepatitis B vaccines within 24 hours, and practice infection prevention.
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Policy-makers: Expand birth-dose vaccination, integrate affordable testing into primary care, and include hepatitis in universal health coverage.
Stigma and financing gaps remain critical obstacles. WHO stresses that eliminating hepatitis requires breaking silos between communities, health systems, and policymakers. “Nothing should stand in the way of eliminating this preventable threat,” stated Balkhy.
