World Hepatitis Day today

The World Hepatitis Day is being observed on Tuesday across the world aims to raise global awareness for the elimination of viral hepatitis.

The World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), an international non-governmental organisation, has taken initiative to observe the day from July 28, 2008.

The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged World Hepatitis Day in 2011, and the day is being observed every year on July 28.

The day is being observed across the country amid befitting programmes and pledges like other countries in the world.

To mark the day, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has given a message calling for a coordinated approach to build hepatitis free Bangladesh through enhancing massive awareness, prevention, diagnosis of disease in primary stage and ensuring affordable and accessible healthcare.

The present government is continuously implementing various initiatives to ensure extension of specialized healthcare, dissemination of technology-based healthcare facilities and healthcare safety for under-privileged people, the PM said in his message.

 The official theme of the World Hepatitis Day 2026 is "Hepatitis: Let's break it down," focusing on removing barriers to care, stopping stigma, and ending misinformation.

At the same time, the day also highlighted the importance of prevention, diagnosis and treatment facilities for all by eliminating panic and social barriers on the diseases.

Nobelist Baruch S. Blumberg, a U.S research physician who discovered an antigen that provokes an antibody response against hepatitis B, developed a diagnosis system of the diseases and introduced vaccination.

To acknowledge his contribution in medical science, the World Hepatitis Day is being observed on his birthday on July 28.

According to the WHO, nearly one crore people in Bangladesh are suffering from hepatitis B and C while 20,000 people unofficially die every year of hepatitis in the country.

The most concerning reason for hepatitis is that nine out of 10 people are totally unaware that they are carrying hepatitis B and C virus. 

Hepatitis affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, causing acute and chronic disease with approximately 1.34 million lives lost every year.

Hepatitis can cause inflammation of the liver both acutely and chronically, and can be fatal. In some countries, hepatitis B is the most common cause of cirrhosis and may also cause liver cancer.