Editorial | Hong Kong, WHO must overcome hepatitis threat together
The city is doing its part to aid the global health body’s efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a threat to public health by 2030
The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030, dramatically reducing the number of new infections and related deaths globally. That will be challenging. The global body estimates that more than 300 million people live with hepatitis B or C, which causes 1.3 million deaths annually.
It is a concern that around 40 per cent of survey respondents with the virus said they were unaware of their infections and 70 per cent had not received follow-up treatment. Hepatitis B can be suppressed by antiviral medication. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential.
Hong Kong has made progress over the years. The city introduced a universal vaccination programme for newborns in 1988. More recently, it has taken steps to curb transmission between mothers and their children. But the new screening programme is essential if the threat to public health is to be eliminated.
It will initially target those born before 1988 with family members or sexual partners who have a history of the disease, and who have no symptoms and have not been diagnosed. Those who test positive will receive further assessments and, if needed, subsidised medical consultations plus free medication. People at risk must be encouraged to take part.
The scheme, which will launch soon, will form part of the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme. This falls within the government’s broader, much-needed drive to strengthen primary and preventive healthcare. A failure to take urgent and sustained action to curb viral hepatitis will lead to more than 2 million additional deaths globally by 2030, the WHO warns. This health threat must be taken seriously.