Overview
The World Hepatitis Day, marked annually on 28 July, aims to increase awareness about viral hepatitis; a liver inflammation that can lead to serious liver disease and liver cancer.
The 2025 theme, “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” emphasizes the urgent need to address and remove the financial, social, and systemic obstacles; including stigma — that hinder progress toward eliminating hepatitis and preventing liver cancer.
Key facts
In 2022:
- 304 million lived with chronic hepatitis B or C
- Only 45% of babies received the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth
- Chronic hepatitis B and C silently cause liver damage and cancer – despite them being preventable, treatable, and, in the case of hepatitis C, curable.
- Chronic viral hepatitis causes 1.3 million deaths every year, mostly from liver cancer and cirrhosis. That’s 3500 deaths every single day – on par with tuberculosis.
- We can prevent 2.8 million deaths by 2030 – but only if countries invest in integrated, primary care-based hepatitis services.
Call to Action
Individuals:
- Get tested for hepatitis B & C
- Vaccinate newborns within 24 hours
- Share facts, not stigma
- Speak to your provider about treatment
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand achieve Hepatitis B control: WHO
Policymakers & Public health leaders:
- Expand hepatitis B birth-dose coverage
- Decentralize testing/treatment through primary care
- Integrate hepatitis into HIV, cancer, maternal, and NCD services
- Fund data-driven, people-centered programs
- Embed hepatitis into Universal Health Coverage frameworks.
With commitment, collaboration, and investment – H̶e̶p̶a̶t̶i̶t̶i̶s̶ elimination is possible!
#WorldHepatitisDay #LetsBreakItDown #HepatitisAwareness #PublicHealth #SDG3 #HepatitisElimination #VaccinesWork #WHOFides #HealthForAll
Related readings
- World Hepatitis Day: Accelerate hepatitis testing and treatment
- WHO launches “One life, one liver” campaign on World Hepatitis Day
- National Strategy for Viral Hepatitis B and C (NSVH), 2023-2030
- Bring hepatitis care closer to people: WHO – Public Health Update
- World Hepatitis Day 2022: Bringing hepatitis care closer to you
- World Hepatitis Day 2020: “Hepatitis-free future”
- Maldives, Sri Lanka achieve Hepatitis B control – Public Health Update
- #WorldHepDay 2016 : “Know hepatitis – Act now”
- World Hepatitis Day 2021: Hepatitis Can’t Wait – Public Health Update
- Consolidated guidelines on HIV, viral hepatitis and STI prevention
- World Hepatitis Day 2019! Invest in eliminating
- World Hepatitis Day 2017: ”Eliminate H̶e̶p̶a̶t̶i̶t̶i̶s̶”
- World Hepatitis Day: 28 July 2015: Prevent hepatitis. Act now
- Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand achieve Hepatitis B control: WHO
- World Hepatitis Day 2025: H̶e̶p̶a̶t̶i̶t̶i̶s̶: : Let’s Break It Down
- Call for Applications! Youth Engagement Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Asia-Pacific
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- Social Service Unit, OCMC and Geriatric Health Service Program Implementation Guideline 2082/83
