World Hepatitis Day 2023

One life, one liver.
Scale up Access to Diagnosis and Treatment to Save Lives.

28 JULY 2023

On World Hepatitis Day 2023 we make a powerful call to countries: it's time to scale up access to testing and treatment.

Viral hepatitis is a silent killer and claims numerous lives every year, with symptoms only appearing once the disease is advanced. In the Americas, nearly 80,000 new infections of hepatitis B and C arise each year, which are mostly going undetected.

The result? Over 100,000 hepatitis-related deaths every single year.

But here's the key: prevention is possible! Vaccines and effective treatments exist, offering hope for all. Hepatitis B vaccine is available for both adults and children, while safe oral treatments can cure hepatitis C. Knowing their status and accessing treatment is crucial for pregnant women with chronic viral hepatitis B to prevent mother-to-child transmission. PAHO works hand in hand with countries in the region to scale-up access to diagnostic tests, medicines, and vaccines for viral hepatitis through PAHO's Strategic Fund and the Revolving Fund.

Together, we can eliminate hepatitis in the Region of the Americas and achieve PAHO's elimination goals by 2030. Let's reduce the number of new cases and prevent needless deaths caused by hepatitis B and C infections.