TEHRAN –Observed annually on July 28, World Hepatitis Day aims to educate individuals and raise awareness of viral hepatitis, and the significance of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that causes severe liver disease and cancer.

The date of July 28 was chosen because it is the birthday of Nobel-prize winner Dr. Baruch Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus. 

This year, it is celebrated under the theme of ‘It’s time for action’.

With a person dying every 30 seconds from a hepatitis-related illness, the theme highlights the need to accelerate action on better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to save lives and improve health outcomes.

Hepatitis is caused by a variety of infectious viruses and noninfectious agents leading to a range of health problems, some of which can be fatal.

Low coverage of testing and treatment is the most important gap to be addressed in order to achieve the global elimination goals by 2030.
Despite better tools for diagnosis and treatment, and decreasing product prices, testing and treatment coverage rates have stalled.

But, reaching the World Health Organization elimination goal by 2030 should still be achievable, if swift action is taken now.

Elimination of hepatitis in Iran

Iran is planning to provide free diagnosis and treatment services to people who are suffering from hepatitis and eradicate the disease by 2030.

Diagnosis of the disease under the health network is free for all, and treatment is also free for financially vulnerable families.

The prevalence of hepatitis B in the country is approximately one percent and the prevalence of hepatitis C is approximately half percent. Therefore, the prevalence of hepatitis in the general population is very low.

In June, Iran and the World Health Organization agreed to create a joint working group with the aim of eradicating hepatitis C in the country.

MT/MG