World Hepatitis Day 2024: Date, History, Theme And Significance

World Hepatitis Day is observed on July 28 every year to create and spread awareness about the hepatitis virus.

According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, "About 1.3 million people died of viral hepatitis in 2022, similar to the number of deaths caused by tuberculosis. Viral hepatitis and tuberculosis were the second leading causes of death among infectious diseases in 2022, after COVID-19."

There are five strains of the virus classified as A, B, C, D, and E. Among these, Hepatitis B and C are the most common with almost 2.2 million new infections each year worldwide.

World Hepatitis Day 2024 is observed annually on July 28 to increase public awareness about this illness on the global level.

The World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA) organised the first World Hepatitis Day in 2008. WHA and WHO together initiated this day and WHA chose July 28 to mark the birthday of Dr Baruch Samuel Blumberg, an American physician who traced the hepatitis B virus and created a vaccine for it.

This year's theme for World Hepatitis Day is 'It's time for action.' This theme revolves around the need to accelerate hepatitis-related diagnosis and treatment. Every 30 seconds, a person dies due to hepatitis-related illness and, hence, there is a need for action to save lives and improve health.

If the world aims to achieve the WHO elimination goal by 2030, then swift action is required to achieve it.

This day is important as it informs people about viral hepatitis and its related illnesses worldwide. This awareness helps people follow hygiene guidelines and eventually improve public health.

Several healthcare institutions organise awareness events on this day for local communities and people around them. This day is a reminder to come together on a global level to fight against this illness.

With the WHO's aim to eradicate this illness by 2030, there is a constant need for early detection, greater immunisation, and better access to healthcare service providers.

• A liver performs over 500 vital functions every single day to keep us alive, that's why testing, treating and preventing viral hepatitis is so important.

• Deaths from viral hepatitis-related causes are increasing.

• Globally, there's a huge number of undiagnosed and untreated people living with hepatitis.

• So many hepatitis infections – and deaths – can be prevented.

1. Testing: Expand access to high-quality, affordable viral hepatitis testing and diagnostics services.

2. Treatment: Shift from policies to implementation for equitable access to viral hepatitis treatment and care.

3. Prevention: Strengthen investment in primary prevention of viral hepatitis to bridge the coverage gap in pregnancy, especially in Africa.

4. Service delivery: Simplify and decentralise the delivery of viral hepatitis services through a public health approach.

5. Product regulation, procurement, and supply: Optimise product registration, procurement and supply, improve market transparency and support local production.

6. Investment cases: Develop investment cases in priority countries to rapidly shift to a public health approach

7. Financing: Mobilise innovative financing from all sources.

8. Data for action: Use improved country data and strengthen country data systems and accountability for viral hepatitis.

9. Community engagement: Engage affected populations and civil society in the viral hepatitis response for advocacy and service delivery.

10. Innovation: Advance the research agenda for viral hepatitis to improve diagnostics and work towards a hepatitis B cure.