World Hepatitis Day is observed globally on July 28. This day also marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Baruch Blumberg, the scientist who is known for identifying the hepatitis B virus in 1967. He also created the Hepatitis B vaccine just two years after the discovery of the virus.
World Hepatitis Day serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight against viral hepatitis. Organizations like the Hepatitis B Foundation use the occasion to highlight the urgent need for education and call for action. With nearly 250 million people affected by hepatitis B and 50 million with Hepatitis C across the world, the World Hepatitis day emphasizes the importance of testing, prevention, and treatment for this disease.
The world will observe World Hepatitis Day on Monday, July 28, 2025. This is a global initiative that aims at highlighting the impact of viral hepatitis, which is a liver infection that can lead to life-threatening conditions like liver failure and cancer.
Chronic hepatitis B and C often progress without notable symptoms and silently damage the liver. Although both forms of Hepatitis are preventable and treatable, and hepatitis C is even curable, lack of awareness often results in ineffective treatment. The 2025 world hepatitis day campaign focuses on streamlining and expanding access to hepatitis-related healthcare. This includes vaccination, testing, harm reduction, safe medical practices, and effective treatment. By improving health system integration and scaling up essential services, governments and organisations aim to make meaningful progress toward the goal of eliminating hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030.
The World Hepatitis Day 2025 Slogan is “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down”. It emphasizes the urgent need to remove the obstacles, including social, financial, and systemic, as they hinder the global fight against hepatitis and liver cancer. The World Hepatitis Day 2025 slogan also aims to address the widespread stigma that often prevents people from seeking help.
Hepatitis remains a largely unnoticed public health crisis, as many individuals live with the virus without symptoms until it leads to serious conditions. With knowledge and awareness, governments across the globe target to reduce this public health concern and offer treatments for its prevention and cure.
As of now, the official logo for World Hepatitis Day 2025 has not been released. The campaign will revolve around the theme “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” which highlights the urgency of removing obstacles from society that affect the progress in eliminating hepatitis.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Hepatitis Alliance are expected to reveal the logo and world hepatitis day 2025 poster on or before July 28. Through these steps, WHO aims to support global awareness efforts and encourage unified action toward hepatitis elimination.
Hepatitis is referred to as the inflammation of the liver, which is triggered by viral infections. There are five notable types of Hepatitis disease. While some types may resolve on their own, others can lead to serious complications such as liver scarring, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer.
Hepatitis is a major concern in South-East Asia. Around 100 million people live with hepatitis B, and another 30 million with hepatitis C. In India, particularly, hepatitis has emerged as a major public health issue. It significantly affects the nation's healthcare, social, and economic challenges.
According to recent data, approximately 40 million Indians are chronically infected with hepatitis B. On the other hand, 6 to 12 million live with chronic hepatitis C. Among the viral Hepatitis, HEV is the leading cause of epidemic outbreaks. Additionally, it is responsible for most cases of acute liver failure, whereas Hepatitis A (HAV) is considered more prevalent in children.
Hepatitis is broadly classified into viral and non-viral types. Viral hepatitis includes five main types namely A, B, C, D, and E. Each of these vary in severity and are caused by a different virus, which are transmitted through different modes. However, non-viral hepatitis is the result of non-infectious causes such as excessive alcohol intake, autoimmune reactions, or exposure to certain drugs or toxins. These forms are not contagious, but can be equally damaging to liver health.
In India, viral hepatitis is the most common hepatitis that poses a public health issue. Hepatitis A (HAV) and Hepatitis E (HEV) are major contributors to acute hepatitis and acute liver failure (ALF). According to recent research, HAV is responsible for 10-30% of acute hepatitis cases and 5-15% of ALF. Additionally, HEV accounts for 10-40% of acute hepatitis and 15-45% of ALF cases.
Long-term liver complications in India are largely due to Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV). Nearly 40 million people in India live with chronic HBV, and 6-12 million are chronically infected with HCV. Chronic HBV is the reason for 40% of liver cancers (HCC) and 20-30% of cirrhosis cases. In contrast, chronic HCV contributes to 12-32% of HCC and 12-20% of cirrhosis.
The prevalence of HBsAg, a protein found on the surface of the Hepatitis B virus, in the population of India ranges between 1.1% and 12.2%. Additionally, the chances of positive HCV antibody are estimated between 0.09% and 15%, based on the region.
India estimates around 40 million people living with chronic hepatitis B. Additionally, nearly 6 to 12 million people are affected by chronic hepatitis C. Among the viral strains, Hepatitis E (HEV) is known for epidemic outbreaks and is a leading cause of acute liver failure. Meanwhile, Hepatitis A (HAV) majorly affects children, which leads to acute infections.
Today, viral hepatitis has emerged as a major public health concern in India. Besides being a concerning issue for individual health, it is known to affect families, communities, and the national healthcare system.
With the alarming number of hepatitis cases, India faces a considerable public health challenge. To tackle this, the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP) was launched in July 2018. NVHCP aims to manage and eliminate Hepatitis C by 2030, while also significantly reducing the burden of Hepatitis B, A, and E.
This initiative aligns with India’s global commitments, including Sustainable Development Goal 3.3. This program targets the elimination of major communicable diseases, including hepatitis, by 2030. India also supports the WHO’s Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis (2016–2021), as adopted in the 69th World Health Assembly.
Here are the major highlights of the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program:
The government provides free medication and diagnostic services for Hepatitis B. Additionally, the government ensures clinical management for Hepatitis A and E.
Providing preventive Hepatitis B vaccination for healthcare workers and vulnerable populations.
The program has introduced a policy on using re-use prevention (RUP) syringes for the Hepatitis vaccine, aiming to enhance injection safety.
In areas with low institutional delivery rates, screening for Hepatitis B is prioritized, and birth dose vaccinations along with Hepatitis B immunoglobulin are administered as needed.
Services are delivered through the National Health Mission, using the established Health and Wellness Centres. This improves accessibility at the ground level.
A dedicated web-based platform has been developed to monitor patients and manage data related to hepatitis and its complications.
India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) is one of the world's largest public health initiatives aimed at protecting children and mothers from preventable, life-threatening diseases. It was initially launched in 1978 as the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). Further, in 1985, it was scaled to become the Universal Immunization Programme, which gradually reached all districts by 1989-90.
Over the years, it has been integrated into various national health missions. These include the following:
Child Survival and Safe Motherhood Programme (1992)
Reproductive & Child Health Programme (1997).
Since 2005, it has remained a crucial aspect under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Under UIP, the Government of India provides free vaccination against 11 vaccine-preventable diseases. These are:
Diphtheria
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Tetanus
Polio
Measles
Rubella
Severe forms of Childhood Tuberculosis
Hepatitis B
Haemophilus Influenzae type B (Hib)
Pneumococcal infections
Diarrhea caused by Rotavirus
Hepatitis B is a major focus under the UIP as it can cause chronic liver disease and liver cancer. Here is the immunization schedule for Hepatitis B under UIP:
Hepatitis B Vaccine Schedule | ||||
Age/Stage | Vaccine | Dose | Route | Site |
At birth (within 24 hrs) | Hepatitis B (birth dose) | 0.5 ml | Intramuscular | Left mid-thigh (anterolateral) |
6 weeks | Pentavalent 1 (includes Hep B) | 0.5 ml | Intramuscular | Left mid-thigh (anterolateral) |
10 weeks | Pentavalent 2 | 0.5 ml | Intramuscular | Left mid-thigh (anterolateral) |
14 weeks | Pentavalent 3 | 0.5 ml | Intramuscular | Left mid-thigh (anterolateral) |
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