GENEVA: Hepatitis B is now on the verge of becoming the deadliest viral disease, surpassing tuberculosis (TB) as the leading cause of mortality around the world. While TB has long held this grim distinction, efforts to fight it have brought it closer to being overtaken by another viral foe: hepatitis B.
According to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO), hepatitis B and C are still causing a lot of deaths, with about 1.3 million in 2022. But the real worry is hepatitis B’s path. If we don’t act, by 2040, hepatitis B could cause more deaths than TB, HIV, and malaria combined.
Experts say hepatitis B mainly spreads through contact with infected blood, but its global impact is often overlooked. While we’ve put a lot of effort into fighting HIV, TB, and malaria, we’ve kind of forgotten about hepatitis B when setting up global health programs.
Over the last ten years, there’s been a rise in hepatitis B cases in poor countries because they don’t have enough resources to prevent and control it. Most hepatitis B cases (about two-thirds) are in just ten countries, including Bangladesh, China, and others. But even in wealthy countries, the virus is spreading fast.
Around the world, 83% of deaths from hepatitis are because of hepatitis B, and the rest are from hepatitis C. Common symptoms include tiredness, yellowing of the skin and eyes, and feeling sick. But many people don’t show symptoms until the disease is advanced. The virus spreads through infected blood, needles, and other medical equipment.
There’s a vaccine for hepatitis B, but many countries don’t have enough of it. There are treatments for both hepatitis B and C, but most people can’t get them. To fight hepatitis B effectively, we need to focus on raising awareness, preventing it, and making sure everyone has access to healthcare.
