World Hepatitis Day (WHD) takes place every year on 28 July bringing the world together under a single theme to raise awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis and to influence real change. In 2021 the theme is ‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait’.
On World Hepatitis Day, 28 July, we call on people from across the world to take action and raise awareness of hepatitis because Hepatitis Can’t Wait.
Viral hepatitis is not just a public healthcare debacle in India but also globally. It is more prominently visible in resource-deficient countries and therefore commands the need for a ‘Can’t Wait’ approach.To put things in perspective, in India alone, Hepatitis B & C are most commonly observed with 4 crore chronic infections of hepatitis B and 60 lakh chronic sufferers of hepatitis C. The Indian Journal of Medical Research, 250,000 people die of viral hepatitis every year. Out of the two, Hepatitis B is highly contagious and transmitted through blood or other bodily fluids, said Dr. Rajan Verma, Medical Director, Lab operations, Oncquest Laboratories Ltd.
Lakhs of people in the country do not possess the financial capacity or the awareness to get themselves treated in time. A delayed diagnosis or treatment not only endangers the infected patients, but also those who come in physical contact with them. The lack of treatment measures and testing capacity compounds this problem further.
The world is already battling a globally devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, as a nation reeling under the pressure, it is about time that we take stock of the situation and prevent our healthcare framework from reaching a state of complete breakdown. The theme for the year is aptly titled ‘Can’t Wait’and we hopeit will stimulate a collective and proactive response.
