28th July, World Hepatitis day (WHO’s officially mandated global public health day)
“300 million people living with viral hepatitis don’t know it. Unless detected and treated, it can lead to disease, cirrhosis or liver cancer. So get tested.”
The World Health Organization estimates that around 300 million people are living with viral hepatitis are unaware of their status and not receiving the appropriate healthcare. If somebody is aged between 45 and 60, he is more likely to be unknowingly living with hepatitis C than any other age group. Also about 9 out of 10 persons living with hepatitis B don’t know it.
Without finding the millions of people living with viral hepatitis yet unaware; and linking them to care, the elimination of viral hepatitis won’t be achieved. It is important to know that Hepatitis C is curable and hepatitis B is treatable, but without finding the missing millions, people will continue to suffer from the complications of disease and die needlessly. Government of India has also joined the brigade to eliminate hepatitis from India by launching “National Viral Hepatitis Control Program” last year on 28th July.
“Join our quest to find the missing millions on World Hepatitis Day.”