World hepatitis day 28th July 2020 – Dr. L Rajendraprasad Consultant Gastroentrologist KIMS Hospital Kurnool

New Delhi, July 27, 2020: World hepatitis day is celebrated every year to increase the awareness of viral hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, on the 28^th of July in honour of Baruch Samuel Blumberg – The noble laureate who discovered Hepatitis B virus. The idea came from professor SP Singh, from Cuttack, Odisha. There are nearly 1.4 million new Hepatitis A cases diagnosed every year, In addition up to 240 million Hepatitis B and 140 million hepatitis c chronically infected cases have been diagnosed so far around the world.

A further combined worldwide prevalence of up to 290 million people living unaware of chronic viral hepatitis is estimated. This year the theme is to find the undiagnosed and link them to care to prevent morbidity and mortality.  Today, Let’s take action and raise awareness to find these “missing millions”.

Many educational and awareness programmes are conducted every year,  in the prevailing pandemic of Covid we need to invigorate our effort and reach out to the society both on social and print media and keep the campaign alive. This will also help our  governments around the world to keep their promise and eliminate hepatitis by 2030. This can only be achieved by increased hygiene, education about causes and methods to prevent whilst actively treating the existing hepatitis cases. Newer treatment options to cure/ prevent progression are already available, for example, Hepatitis C is now curable in almost all cases with a 12 to 24-week treatment of oral medication. Similar research is also in progress in Hepatitis B and is likely to bring curative options soon. Increased understanding of Hepatitis B has helped us limit mother to child transmission  and lessen the new case burden. Hepatitis A vaccination is very effective in reducing the incidence as well as the severity of the disease. Hepatitis B and C vaccinations have helped prevent millions of new infections already and will continue to do so.

Through increased awareness, education, testing and treatment, together we can contribute our little bit towards achieving a hepatitis free world in the not so distant future.

Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)