World Hepatitis Day shines a spotlight on a global health threat that continues to claim lives silently, despite proven solutions at hand. Every thirty seconds, a life is lost somewhere in the world due to severe liver disease or liver cancer linked to hepatitis, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

This figure is staggering. It’s also a call to action, echoed by health authorities everywhere including World Health Organisation (WHO). Viral hepatitis comes in several varieties: A, B, C, D, and E. Among these, B, C, and D can progress to chronic conditions. Chronic infections are particularly dangerous; they greatly raise the risk of cirrhosis, liver failure and, most alarmingly, liver cancer.

“Every thirty seconds, a life is lost somewhere in the world due to severe liver disease or liver cancer linked to hepatitis”, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

The problem is daunting in scale. Globally, over three hundred million people live with chronic hepatitis B, C, or D. Each year, more than 1.3 million deaths occur, most from cirrhosis or cancer of the liver. Despite these numbers, many remain unaware they are infected. Silent but deadly, hepatitis often shows no symptoms until damage is advanced. Screening rates lag far behind what is needed.

In Malaysia, the Ministry of Health Malaysia says about 5% of Malaysians have hepatitis B infection. Although hepatitis B rates have stayed between 11% and 15% over the past five years, and the HBV vaccine was introduced in 1989, cases are expected to rise from 2010 to 2040. This increase will put more pressure on healthcare services because hepatitis B can lead to serious illnesses like liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, which is now one of the eight most common cancers in Malaysia.

Now new research has changed the way we view hepatitis D. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently classified this virus as carcinogenic to humans. It joins hepatitis B and C in this grim category.

Notably, hepatitis D does not infect people alone; it only strikes those already carrying hepatitis B. Studies published in peer-reviewed journals confirm that dual infection boosts the risk of liver cancer two- to six-fold compared to hepatitis B alone. This reclassification is more than a scientific technicality. It brings urgency to the need for better awareness, improved screening programmes and expanded access to new therapies.

Health authorities have responded swiftly. In 2024, guidelines for the testing and diagnosis of hepatitis B and D were published by leading international institutions. These highlight innovative drugs now in clinical use for hepatitis D.

Treatment for hepatitis C is already a game-changer: short courses of oral medications can clear the infection in two or three months. Hepatitis B can be controlled with life-long therapy, preventing progression to cirrhosis or cancer in most cases. Hepatitis D treatments are emerging, with clinical trials underway and promising early results.

Yet treatment alone won’t solve the crisis. Experts insist that only urgent action at every level—government, healthcare systems and communities—can deliver the full benefit of reducing deaths from cirrhosis and liver cancer. Vaccination programmes are essential; testing must become routine; harm reduction must target vulnerable groups; and treatment must be accessible to all who need it.

Encouraging progress is evident in many countries, especially those with limited resources. Recent data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals that most low- and middle-income countries have strategic plans for tackling hepatitis.

In 2025, the number of countries reporting formal national action plans jumped from fifty-nine to one hundred twenty-three. Policies for hepatitis B testing among pregnant women are rising: one hundred twenty-nine countries now adopt these guidelines, up from one hundred six just the year before.

Vaccination remains a cornerstone of prevention. Globally, one hundred forty-seven countries have introduced the hepatitis B birth dose vaccine—an increase from one hundred thirty-eight in 2022. This simple intervention can dramatically reduce transmission rates from mother to child.

Still, critical gaps persist. The 2024 Global Hepatitis Report lays out the challenges starkly. Despite more countries adopting screening policies and vaccination programmes, actual coverage is far from adequate. Only thirteen percent of people living with hepatitis B have been diagnosed; for hepatitis C, that figure rises only to thirty-six percent by 2022. Treatment rates are even lower—just three percent for hepatitis B and twenty percent for hepatitis C.

These numbers fall well short of the targets set for 2025: sixty percent diagnosed and half treated. If these goals are not met, lives will be lost unnecessarily, and millions will continue suffering silently.

Integration of hepatitis services into existing health systems is uneven worldwide. Some progress is reported: eighty countries have included hepatitis services within their primary care offerings; one hundred twenty-eight have built them into HIV programmes; but only twenty-seven have incorporated hepatitis C services into harm reduction centres targeting people who inject drugs—a group disproportionately affected by viral hepatitis.

Scaling up prevention, testing and treatment is the next big challenge. According to WHO projections, achieving global targets by 2030 could save 2.8 million lives and prevent nearly ten million new infections. But declining donor support means countries must look inward, prioritising domestic investment in health infrastructure and data systems.

Stigma continues to hinder progress everywhere—from rural clinics to urban hospitals. People living with hepatitis often face discrimination at work, in their communities or even within healthcare settings. This can discourage individuals from seeking the care they need or attending screening sessions.

On World Hepatitis Day this year, international partnerships are stepping up efforts to break down these barriers. WHO has joined forces with global advocacy groups to launch a campaign themed “Hepatitis: Let’s break it down.” The message is clear: it’s time for decisive action on all fronts—awareness, funding and access to care.

Joint webinars and outreach events highlight the vital role civil society plays alongside government leadership. Community-based organisations are uniquely positioned to reach those most at risk—people who inject drugs, migrants and individuals without regular contact with health services.

The future holds promise if momentum is sustained. New diagnostic technologies are becoming more affordable and practical for primary care settings.

Innovative harm reduction strategies are showing results where implemented properly: needle exchange programmes reduce transmission rates among drug users; mobile clinics bring testing services into remote communities; peer educators increase uptake of both screening and vaccination.

Experts stress that a multi-pronged approach is essential—one that integrates prevention with treatment and links hepatitis services to existing HIV programmes wherever possible. Data collection must improve too: robust surveillance systems enable policymakers to target interventions effectively and monitor outcomes in real time.

National governments around the globe face tough choices amid limited resources but must act now if they hope to meet ambitious targets set by WHO for 2030: ninety percent reduction in new chronic infections and a sixty-five percent reduction in hepatitis-related deaths.

If these goals are achieved, the impact would be historic—millions of lives saved, countless families spared the agony of losing loved ones prematurely, economies strengthened by a healthier workforce.

The road ahead will not be easy. It demands leadership at every level—local clinics making testing routine; national policymakers allocating funds strategically; international partners supporting research and innovation.

Most crucially, it requires listening to those affected by viral hepatitis—the patients whose voices too often go unheard amid statistics and strategic plans.

World Hepatitis Day serves as a poignant reminder that silent epidemics deserve attention equal to more visible threats like HIV or tuberculosis. The tools exist: vaccines, medicines, screening kits, harm reduction strategies—all proven effective when deployed at scale.

What remains is the collective will to act swiftly and decisively—to invest in people’s health today so that future generations can live free from the shadow of viral hepatitis.