As the world marks World Hepatitis Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an urgent call to governments and health stakeholders to ramp up efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis, following the reclassification of Hepatitis D as a cancer-causing virus.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a WHO-affiliated body, recently confirmed that Hepatitis D — which only affects individuals already infected with Hepatitis B — increases the risk of liver cancer by two to six times compared to Hepatitis B alone. This finding places Hepatitis D in the same Group 1 carcinogen category as Hepatitis B and C.
Calling it a “critical milestone” in the global hepatitis response, WHO urged governments to expand testing, boost awareness, and increase access to treatment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where most hepatitis-related deaths occur.
Dr. Meg Doherty, WHO’s incoming Director of Science for Health, said new treatments are in development for Hepatitis D, but their benefits can only be fully realised if countries invest in integrated care services, including vaccination, harm reduction, and lifelong care for chronic infections.
Hepatitis D has no cure and is harder to manage than Hepatitis B and C. While Hepatitis C is curable within 8–12 weeks and Hepatitis B is manageable with lifelong antiviral therapy, effective treatment for Hepatitis D remains limited.
According to WHO, over 300 million people globally live with chronic Hepatitis B, C, or D, causing 1.3 million deaths annually, mainly from liver cancer and cirrhosis.
“Every 30 seconds, someone dies of hepatitis-related complications,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “But we have the tools to prevent these deaths.”
Despite this, WHO’s latest Global Hepatitis Report paints a grim picture: as of 2022, only 13% of people with Hepatitis B and 36% with Hepatitis C had been diagnosed, with treatment rates even lower — 3% for Hepatitis B and 20% for Hepatitis C.
These figures fall well short of WHO’s 2025 targets of diagnosing 60% and treating 50% of those infected.
In Nigeria, where awareness remains dangerously low, health professionals are raising alarms. At an outreach in Dutse, Abuja, organized by the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors (FCT chapter), residents received free Hepatitis B and C screenings.
Dr. Emmanuel Chijoke, Medical Director of Lyon Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, urged Nigerians to get vaccinated and tested early, warning that hepatitis is a “silent killer” that often shows no symptoms until the liver is severely damaged.
Similarly, Zeynab Adekanyi, Medical Scientist and Director of Ayaz Laboratory, emphasized prevention:
“The earlier you know, the better. Hepatitis can be managed if caught early, but if ignored, it can take your life.”
