India has 1.18 crores Hepatitis B cases: MoS Health informs Rajya Sabha
New Delhi: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed that the WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2024 is based on modelling rather than actual surveillance figures. Viral hepatitis, particularly hepatitis B and C, is a major public health issue worldwide. The WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2024 indicates that India accounts for a significant proportion of the global burden of hepatitis, especially hepatitis B.
India has recognized the serious public health threat of viral hepatitis and has taken major steps to address the issue through the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP).
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He also asked whether the low diagnosis and treatment are major causes for the high number of cases; if not, the other causes;
He further inquired whether all the hepatitis-infected people were receiving free treatment for the disease; if not, whether the Government will provide free treatment to hepatitis patients under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP); and, if not, about the reasons.
MoS Health informed that no, the data of WHO Global Health Report 2024 is based on modeling and is not the actual surveillance data. As per the 2023 Seroprevalence report generated under the National Program for Surveillance of Viral Hepatitis under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP), National Health Mission (NHM.), the seroprevalence of hepatitis B is found to be 0.85% (95% CI 0.85-0.86). Accordingly, the estimated number of persons likely to be infected with hepatitis B is 1.18 crores.
The National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP) was launched in 2018 and is offering treatment services for hepatitis B since 2019. The government provides diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B free of cost under the program on the basis of the requirements of the need of an infested patient under treatment, added the Minister.
