Abstract
Background: The sixty-ninth World Health Assembly endorsed the global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Achieving and measuring the 2030 targets requires a substantial increase in the capacity to test and treat viral hepatitis infections and a mechanism to monitor the progress of hepatitis elimination.
Methods: A designed questionnaire plus regional validation were used to collect the empirical, systematic, modelled or surveyed data, by WHO country and regional offices in 2020, the indicators on the progress including the burden of infection, incidence, mortality, and the cascade of care on viral hepatitis.
Findings: WHO received officially validated data from 130 countries and used the partner’s data for the remaining 70 countries and territories. It was estimated 3.84% (295.9 million) of people were living with chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and 0.75% (57.8 million) of people were living with chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection worldwide in 2019. New data showed that hepatitis B and C caused more than 3 million new infections in 2019. Globally, there were more than one million deaths caused by HBV and HCV infection in 2019. Among people living with hepatitis B, 30.4 (24.3–38.0) million individuals knew their status and 6.6 (5.3–8.3) million people diagnosed with hepatitis B received treatment in 2019. Among people with HCV infection, 15.2 (12.1-19.0) million knew their status, and 9.4 (7.5–11.7) million people diagnosed with hepatitis C infection were treated using direct-acting antiviral drugs between 2015 and 2019.
Interpretation: There has been notable global progress toward hepatitis elimination; since 2016, 30.4 million (10%) people know their status and 6.6 million (22%) of these people diagnosed with hepatitis B received treatment in 2019. Mortality from hepatitis C has been declining for the first time, supported by 10 times increase in treatment for HCV compared with the strategy baseline. However, 90% of HBV infections and 79% of HCV infections remain undiagnosed. A new global strategy, 2022-2030, based on the new estimates should be implemented urgently to scale up the screening and treatment of hepatitis.
Methods: A designed questionnaire plus regional validation were used to collect the empirical, systematic, modelled or surveyed data, by WHO country and regional offices in 2020, the indicators on the progress including the burden of infection, incidence, mortality, and the cascade of care on viral hepatitis.
Findings: WHO received officially validated data from 130 countries and used the partner’s data for the remaining 70 countries and territories. It was estimated 3.84% (295.9 million) of people were living with chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and 0.75% (57.8 million) of people were living with chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection worldwide in 2019. New data showed that hepatitis B and C caused more than 3 million new infections in 2019. Globally, there were more than one million deaths caused by HBV and HCV infection in 2019. Among people living with hepatitis B, 30.4 (24.3–38.0) million individuals knew their status and 6.6 (5.3–8.3) million people diagnosed with hepatitis B received treatment in 2019. Among people with HCV infection, 15.2 (12.1-19.0) million knew their status, and 9.4 (7.5–11.7) million people diagnosed with hepatitis C infection were treated using direct-acting antiviral drugs between 2015 and 2019.
Interpretation: There has been notable global progress toward hepatitis elimination; since 2016, 30.4 million (10%) people know their status and 6.6 million (22%) of these people diagnosed with hepatitis B received treatment in 2019. Mortality from hepatitis C has been declining for the first time, supported by 10 times increase in treatment for HCV compared with the strategy baseline. However, 90% of HBV infections and 79% of HCV infections remain undiagnosed. A new global strategy, 2022-2030, based on the new estimates should be implemented urgently to scale up the screening and treatment of hepatitis.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 332-342 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 7 Feb 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Apr 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was fully funded by WHO. We thank colleagues from WHO headquarters, regional, and country offices who contributed to this work. For authors identified as employees of the International Agency for Research on Cancer or WHO, the views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the decisions, policy, or views of either organisation.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 World Health Organization
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