There are currently 350m people living with viral hepatitis, and every 30 seconds someone dies form a viral hepatitis related illness. By 2040 hepatitis will cause more deaths than HIV, TB and Malaria combined. Approximately 25% of infants who are exposed to hepatitis B at birth will die of liver-related complications in life, including liver cancer. Around 65% of all liver cancer cases are related to HBV or HCV.
And yet there is still limited visibility of the hepatitis as an area of policy-making, investment or funding within global or national NCD programmes, despite the fact investment in this area would dramatically impact the numbers of people developing, and dying from, liver cancer.
WHA is determined to change this this, and demanding hepatitis be seen as part of global and national NCD programmes, advocating for change at the policy and funder level, and working to identify and collaborate with organisations and influencers who can help us affect this change.