The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called on Bangladesh to expand access to hepatitis prevention, testing, and treatment, marking World Hepatitis Day with a push to remove barriers that keep millions from receiving care.
Chronic viral hepatitis remains one of the world's leading infectious disease killers, causing an estimated 1.3 million deaths a year, mainly from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Hepatitis B and C account for approximately 95% of all viral hepatitis deaths worldwide.
Around 6,000 new infections and 3,500 deaths from hepatitis occur globally every day. In the WHO South-East Asia Region, an estimated 43 million people are living with viral hepatitis. The region recorded 266,000 new hepatitis B and C infections and 200,000 hepatitis-related deaths in 2024.
Bangladesh is among the 10 countries with the highest numbers of people living with hepatitis C globally. The prevalence of active hepatitis C infection in the general population is estimated at approximately 0.6%, though the burden is substantially higher among key and other vulnerable populations, including Rohingya refugees.
Bangladesh is also among the 10 countries that together accounted for 69% of hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide in 2024, despite the availability of vaccination against hepatitis B and effective treatments to manage hepatitis B and cure hepatitis C.
Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, WHO Representative to Bangladesh, said: "Hepatitis is preventable, treatable, and, in the case of hepatitis C, curable. Yet too many people continue to miss out on the services they need because they are diagnosed too late or cannot access timely testing and treatment."
Jamsheed said WHO is calling for accelerated action to break down the barriers preventing people from accessing hepatitis prevention, testing, and treatment services.
Bangladesh has developed a National Strategic Plan 2020-2030; strengthened hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination; expanded testing and treatment services; and generated evidence to inform policy, WHO said. The efforts, supported by WHO's technical assistance, aim to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
Barriers that continue to limit access to hepatitis services include low public awareness, late diagnosis, limited access to affordable testing and treatment, stigma and discrimination, and uneven availability of services for key and vulnerable populations, according to WHO.
WHO identified four priority areas for action: strengthening hepatitis prevention through sustained vaccination coverage and public awareness; expanding testing and treatment by integrating hepatitis services into primary health care, antenatal care, blood services, and HIV and tuberculosis programs; decentralizing hepatitis services beyond specialist facilities; and strengthening surveillance and data systems to track infections and treatment outcomes.
Jamsheed said: "Bangladesh has demonstrated strong commitment to tackling viral hepatitis and is well positioned to accelerate progress towards elimination. WHO is proud to support the government's efforts and will continue to provide technical assistance to expand access to prevention, testing, and treatment; strengthen health systems; and ensure that no one is left behind.
