World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a strong appeal to governments and health partners to accelerate efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis, following the reclassification of hepatitis D as carcinogenic to humans.
The appeal comes as the world commemorates World Hepatitis Day.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialised agency of WHO, had recently confirmed that hepatitis D, an infection that only occurs in individuals already infected with Hepatitis B, poses a two- to six-fold higher risk of liver cancer compared to Hepatitis B alone. The agency placed Hepatitis D in the same cancer-causing category as Hepatitis B and C.
WHO described the reclassification as a critical milestone in the global response to hepatitis, emphasising the need for increased awareness, expanded screening, and broader access to treatment. WHO’s incoming Director of Science for Health, Dr Meg Doherty, stated that the organisation was closely monitoring clinical outcomes from new treatments being developed for hepatitis D.
While Hepatitis C can be cured within two to three months using oral medication, and Hepatitis B effectively managed with lifelong therapy, treatment options for Hepatitis D remain limited. Doherty stressed that the full benefits of new treatments could only be realised through the urgent scale-up of services such as vaccination, testing, harm reduction, and sustained access to care, all integrated into national health systems.
Viral hepatitis types A, B, C, D, and E are responsible for acute liver infections, but only B, C, and D cause chronic illness with the potential to lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, or cancer. WHO estimates that more than 300 million people are currently living with chronic hepatitis B, C, or D, resulting in over 1.3 million deaths yearly, mostly due to liver cancer and complications from liver cirrhosis.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said: “Every 30 seconds, someone dies from hepatitis-related liver disease or liver cancer. Yet we have the tools to prevent these deaths.
”Despite some gains, the WHO’s latest Global Hepatitis Report highlighted several shortfalls. By 2022, only 13 per cent of people with Hepatitis B and 36 percent with Hepatitis C had been diagnosed, with even fewer accessing treatment; three per cent for Hepatitis B and 20 per cent for Hepatitis C.
These figures fall far short of the WHO’s 2025 targets of 60 per cent diagnosis and 50 per cent treatment coverage.
ALSO, medical experts in Abuja have raised the alarm over the dangers of untreated hepatitis, describing it as a “silent killer” that often shows no symptoms until serious liver damage has occurred.
The warning came during an outreach organised by the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors (FCT chapter) to mark World Hepatitis Day in Dutse, Abuja, where free Hepatitis B and C tests were offered to residents.
Speaking at the event, the Medical Director of Lyon Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, Emmanuel Chijoke, stressed the importance of early detection.
According to him, while Hepatitis B has a vaccine, many Nigerians still go untested and unvaccinated, leaving themselves vulnerable to liver complications, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Medical Lab Scientist and Director of Ayaz Laboratory, Zeynab Adekanyi, highlighted the health risks of ignorance and delay.
“The earlier you know, the better. Waiting too long can cost you your life. But if caught early, hepatitis is manageable. Prevention through hygiene and vaccination is still our strongest defence,” she said.
(The Guardian)
Leave a comment