The World Health Organization (WHO) has unveiled its 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, underscoring a concerning surge in fatalities attributed to viral hepatitis.
Despite advancements in medical technology and treatment accessibility, the report highlights a stark reality: the number of lives claimed by this silent killer is on an alarming upward trajectory.
According to the report released at the World Hepatitis Summit, viral hepatitis stands as the second leading infectious cause of death worldwide, with a staggering 1.3 million lives lost annually.
This statistics places it on par with tuberculosis, another formidable infectious disease.
WHO’s Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, expressed deep concern over the grim statistics revealed in the report.
Dr Ghebreyesus said despite global efforts to combat the disease, deaths continue to rise due to inadequate diagnosis and treatment coverage.
He emphasized the critical need for swift and concerted action to reverse this concerning trend.
“This report paints a troubling picture: despite progress globally in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are rising because far too few people with hepatitis are being diagnosed and treated,” he said.
“WHO is committed to supporting countries to use all the tools at their disposal – at access prices – to save lives and turn this trend around.”
The report
The report presents a sobering snapshot of the global hepatitis landscape, with new data from 187 countries painting a stark reality.
The estimated number of deaths attributable to viral hepatitis has surged from 1.1 million in 2019 to a staggering 1.3 million in 2022.
Of these fatalities, hepatitis B accounts for 83 per cent, with hepatitis C contributing to the remaining 17 per cent. This translates to an average of 3500 lives lost to hepatitis B and C infections each day.
Furthermore, the report sheds light on the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B and C infections, with 254 million and 50 million individuals affected, respectively, in 2022.
Also, half of these cases are concentrated among individuals aged 30 to 54 years, with 12 per cent affecting children under 18 years old.
The report also shows that men bear the brunt of the burden, accounting for 58 per cent of all hepatitis cases globally.
Despite some progress in prevention efforts, the incidence of viral hepatitis remains alarmingly high.
See full report here