World Hepatitis Day is observed every year on July 28th to raise global awareness surrounding viral hepatitis and the urgent need to diagnose, prevent and treat the condition. In the past few years, World Hepatitis Day has helped health bodies, communities and governments across the world to improve accessibility to care, promote testing, emphasise the burden of the disease, and put efforts towards the global goal of eradicating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by the year 2030. The theme for World Hepatitis Day this year is "Hepatitis: Let's break it down”.

The liver is the second-largest organ in the body and plays an important role in processing of nutrients, filtering or removing toxins, producing bile for digestion, regulating blood sugar levels and storing energy as well as providing support for overall health and wellbeing. Viral hepatitis indicates inflammation in the liver, caused by a viral infection, which acts as a barrier to these vital functions, weakening the body’s immune system. In some cases, the infection shows no symptoms and can progress in a silent way for years, leading to lasting damage to the liver.

Fatty liver disease affects around 1 in 3 Indian adults in India, and is especially a common occurrence among adults who are in their 20s or 30s, with no visible symptoms, with liver cancer being the fourth most common cause of death related to cancer in India. As per the Global Hepatitis Report 2024 by the World Health Organisation, nearly 254 million people were living with hepatitis B virus infection in the year 2022, with HBV accounting for around 83 per cent of the 1.3 million deaths because of viral hepatitis during the same year.  At present, India reports the second-largest burden of Hepatitis C, with approximately 40 million people living with chronic Hepatitis B in India, with around 2-4 per cent prevalence among the population.

Sharing his thoughts on World Hepatitis Day, Gaurav Verma, Chief Business Officer at PharmEasy (API Holdings) said: “Hepatitis remains a significant public health challenge, and its symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for those of other common illnesses, allowing the infection to go undetected until serious complications arise. This highlights the importance of awareness, timely testing and prevention. Vaccination is one of the most effective tools against vaccine-preventable forms of viral hepatitis, particularly Hepatitis A and B. At PharmEasy, we believe tackling hepatitis requires a proactive approach—understanding the risks, consulting a doctor when symptoms arise, getting tested when recommended, and adopting preventive measures such as vaccination when advised by a doctor and safe sex practices. Through access to doctor consultations, diagnostic services, and Hepatitis A and B vaccinations, we aim to help people move from awareness to action and take charge of their health.”