Pakistan leads globally in viral hepatitis C infections, with approximately 8.8 million cases, contributing to 44% of all new hepatitis C infections due to unsafe medical injections, according to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Previously, Egypt reported the largest number of hepatitis B and C cases, with Pakistan following closely behind.
The data from 187 countries indicates that the estimated number of deaths from viral hepatitis rose to 1.3 million in 2022 from 1.1 million in 2019, according to WHO’s Global Hepatitis Report 2024. Of these deaths, 83% were attributed to hepatitis B, while 17% were due to hepatitis C.
In terms of combined hepatitis B and hepatitis C cases, Pakistan ranks fifth globally, behind China, India, Indonesia, and Nigeria, with approximately 12.6 million cases reported in 2022.
The report highlights that ten countries carry almost two-thirds of the global burden of viral hepatitis B and C. Among them, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, the Philippines, and the Russian Federation complete the top ten list.
China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, and the US collectively account for 50% of the global burden of hepatitis C, according to the report.
Dr. Masood Sheikh from Lahore General Hospital informed Dawn that Pakistan carries the second-largest burden of hepatitis C worldwide, with a nationwide prevalence rate of 4.8%.
“From 2015 to 2019, there was a 5pc increase in hepatitis C-related deaths and an 8pc increase in hepatitis B-related deaths,” he said.
Contributing factors
The transmission of the virus in Pakistan has surged due to ignorance of sterilization techniques, sharing personal items, and unsafe healthcare practices. Dr. Sheikh lamented that the burden of liver cancers and transplants has tripled nationwide over the past 20 years.
Hepatitis killing 3,500 daily, WHO warns
The WHO report cautioned that viral hepatitis, responsible for 1.3 million deaths annually, ranks as the second leading infectious cause of death worldwide, the same as tuberculosis.
Despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment tools and decreasing product prices, the report, unveiled at the World Hepatitis Summit, highlighted that testing and treatment coverage rates have deteriorated. However, achieving the WHO elimination goal by 2030 remains achievable with prompt actions.
“This report paints a troubling picture: despite progress globally in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are rising because far too few people with hepatitis are being diagnosed and treated,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “WHO is committed to supporting countries to use all the tools at their disposal – at access prices – to save lives and turn this trend around.”
Key stats
- 254 million people have hepatitis B, while 50 million have hepatitis C as per WHO estimates for 2022.
- Half of the chronic hepatitis B and C infections are among individuals aged 30-54, with 12% in children under 18.
- Men constitute 58% of all cases.
- In 2022, there were 2.2 million new infections, a decrease from 2.5 million in 2019.
- Over 6000 people are newly infected with viral hepatitis each day.