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Doctors newspaper online, 27.07.2019
World Hepatitis Day
GENEVA. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, around 325 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis B and C.
About 1.4 million people die each year as a result. The 67 most-affected low and middle-income countries needed $ 6 billion in investment annually (around € 5.4 billion) to cut the number of new cases of hepatitis by 90 percent by 2030, WHO reported on world hepatitis. Day on July 28th.
"It's affordable and very cost effective," said Marc Bulterys, WHO hepatitis expert, in Geneva. The health services even saved money within three years because they would have to treat fewer hepatitis-infected people with complications. In the 67 countries 4.5 million deaths could be prevented by 2030.
There are now generic drugs for hepatitis C in India. There, a three-month treatment cost less than $ 40, Bulterys said. In the US, the same treatment costs $ 18,000. 98 percent of patients were cured after three months of treatment.
Pakistan most affected
Of the five hepatitis viruses, B and C are the most serious, with liver inflammation and liver cancer as the sequelae. Chronic hepatitis B and C infections accounted for 96 percent of deaths.
Pakistan is hit hardest by ten million cases, followed by China and Egypt. According to the WHO, one problem is that the infection often breaks out only after 30 or more years. Probably only one in ten knows about his infection. Even after diagnosis, only 17 percent of patients are treated.
Hepatitis C is often transmitted in the health care system or among drug users, for example, by unclean syringes. Hepatitis B is particularly dangerous for toddlers who were infected with their mothers or relatives.
With them the infection becomes mostly chronic. Essential transmission routes in adults are sex and contaminated drug injections. (dpa)
See also:
Case Numbers: Hepatitis Curves Go Up
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