World Hepatitis Day 2024: It’s Time for Action
28 July 2024, Cairo, Egypt – “It’s Time for Action”, urges WHO’s campaign to mark World Hepatitis Day 2024. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region and globally, WHO is calling on governments and communities to intensify efforts to combat hepatitis, emphasizing the need for urgent action.
Fighting hepatitis in the Eastern Mediterranean Region raises both significant challenges and opportunities. An estimated 15 million people in the Region were living with chronic hepatitis B infection in 2022. And about 12 million people had chronic hepatitis C infection. These virus strains led to 97 000 deaths in the Region the same year.
Yet only 14% of people with hepatitis B in the Region know that they have it, and just 2% of the estimated 15 million cases are receiving treatment. The figures for hepatitis C are slightly better: 48% of cases are diagnosed, while 35% of the total estimated cases are being treated.
Regional coverage of the hepatitis B birth dose stands at a critical 34% – far below the global target of 90%. This immunization gap poses a serious threat to newborns. Moreover, gaps persist in blood and injection safety across some countries of the Region, contributing to new infections.
Despite many challenges, Egypt has set a remarkable example with its nationwide campaign to address hepatitis C, which screened 60 million people from 2016 to 2020. All 4.1 million people who tested positive for the infection received treatment. This initiative saw Egypt become the first country globally to achieve “gold tier” status on the path towards
