Hepatitis Will Be Deadlier Than HIV, Tuberculosis By 2040 — WHO

The World Health Organization has warned that hepatitis disease could kill more people than malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV by 2040 if measures are not taken to scale up testing and treatment.

WHO gave the warning as the world marks the World Hepatitis Day observed yearly July 28.

This year’s theme, “One Life, One Liver”, highlights the significance of protecting the liver against hepatitis for a long and healthy life.

It also stated that good liver benefits other vital organs such as the heart, brain and kidney.

“To mark World Hepatitis Day, WHO is calling for scaling up testing and treatment for viral hepatitis, warning that the disease could kill more people than malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV combined by 2040 if current infection trends continue,” it said.

WHO revealed that hepatitis causes liver damage and cancer that kills over a million people yearly. It noted that there are five types of hepatitis infection of which hepatitis B and C cause most diseases and deaths.

However, it said “Hepatitis C can be cured; however, only 21% of people living with hepatitis C infection are diagnosed and only 13% have received curative treatment. Just 10% of people living with chronic hepatitis B are diagnosed, and only 2% of those infected are receiving the lifesaving medicine. “

The WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, said millions of people worldwide are living with undiagnosed hepatitis despite the availability of “better tools to prevent, diagnose and treat it.”

He said the global health organization will continue to support countries to “expand the use of those tools, including increasingly cost-effective curative medication, to save lives and end hepatitis.”

According to Healthline, Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and can be caused by a viral infection, alcohol consumption, other health conditions, or medication.

Common symptoms of hepatitis are fatigue, flu-like signs, dark urine, pale stool, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, and yellow skin and eyes which may be signs of jaundice.

Treatment for hepatitis varies based on the type of hepatitis and its severity.