Hepatitis B and C affect the general population and specific populations such as those at higher risk of or with a history of exposure through unsafe blood supplies, unsafe medical injections and other health procedures; newborns and children at risk through mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B and C, notably in settings with high viral hepatitis prevalence; indigenous populations and mobile and migrant populations from countries with higher prevalence; and key populations, including people who inject drugs, people in prisons and other closed settings, sex workers and men-who-have-sex-with-men, who may be disproportionately affected in different contexts.As most people are unaware that they are infected with hepatitis B or C, access to hepatitis testing and treatment needs to be expanded beyond larger hospitals or referral centres.Testing and treatment must be accessible within the community, delivered by primary health care facilities and general practitioners, close to where people live and work, and included in universal health coverage.Accelerated coverage of testing and treatment of hepatitis B and hepatitis C will reduce the development of liver cirrhosis and cancer and, ultimately, death, Wazed stated.It is essential to keep the needs of people living with viral hepatitis at the centre of all efforts and for all stakeholders, including the private sector, to work together at all levels to reverse the current impact on health.Results from several country investment case studies suggest an estimated return on investment of US$ 2–3 for every dollar invested in the viral hepatitis response to reverse the increasing mortality and prevent enormous costs of cancer treatment and care.“Viral hepatitis is a major public health challenge of this decade. With a public health approach and leveraging countries’ investments in universal health coverage, eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030 is feasible,” the Regional Director said.Taking action in 2024-2026 to expand equitable access to viral hepatitis interventions will enable countries to regain the trajectory to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals – saving lives, preventing a future generation of new infections, cancers and deaths, and reducing costs.“We have the collective responsibility to save lives today and protect the health of future generations. It’s time for action,” Wazed added.
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