Urgent Need for Action on Hepatitis: Experts
"These are not just statistics—they reflect a silent public health crisis that demands immediate, coordinated action,' said Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Chairperson,
Illness to Wellness Foundation
, during his keynote address at the 'Illness to Wellness' Awareness Conference held in New Delhi on World Hepatitis Day.
Organised by the Illness to Wellness Foundation, the conference was held under the theme 'Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment for Hepatitis'.
It brought together leading medical professionals, public health advocates, and policymakers to discuss India's rising hepatitis burden and the need for stronger policy, better access, and increased public awareness.
Bhushan identified five urgent priorities-
Expanded screening and surveillance, Timely administration of the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine, Decentralised access to treatment, Community-level awareness campaigns, Use of real-time data to drive interventions.
He also emphasised the importance of collaborative action. 'Strategic interventions must be led not just by the government but through partnerships with civil society, the private sector, healthcare professionals, and the medical community,' he said.
The conference served as a platform to call for coordinated national efforts to tackle hepatitis and move closer to elimination targets.
In his welcome address, Anil Rajput, Chairperson, Advisory Council, Illness to Wellness foundation, said, 'This year's World Hepatitis Day theme, 'Hepatitis: Let's Break It Down,' is a powerful reminder that the fight against hepatitis requires a holistic, multi-dimensional approach that addresses the social, economic, and systemic roots of the disease.'
During the session, health experts highlighted alarming global data that only 45% of new-borns receive the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of birth, which is a critical gap in prevention.
They also emphasised that WHO's 2030 target to eliminate hepatitis, which calls for a 90% reduction in new infections and 80% treatment coverage, hinges on several key strategies: universal vaccination, timely diagnosis, people-centred care, and widespread public awareness to combat stigma.
The conference concluded with a call to action: to break the silence, scale the response, and build a hepatitis-free Bharat by 2030.
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