Bangladesh today joined countries across the globe in observing World Hepatitis Day, an annual event dedicated to raising awareness about hepatitis, its prevention, and treatment. The day, officially recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of its 11 global public health campaigns since 2011, highlights the threat of viral hepatitis and calls for concerted efforts towards its elimination.
This year’s theme, “Let’s Break It Down,” emphasizes the urgency of dismantling barriers—financial, social, and systemic—that impede efforts to eliminate hepatitis and prevent liver cancer. It also calls for simplifying, scaling up, and integrating hepatitis services like vaccination, safe injection practices, harm reduction, testing, and treatment into national health systems.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus issued a message marking the day, urging all government and non-government institutions and organizations, media, guardians, and conscious civil society to come forward in preventing this “silent killer.” He underscored the significance of this year’s theme in achieving the global goal of eliminating hepatitis.
Professor Yunus highlighted the growing challenge of liver diseases in Bangladesh, attributing it to a lack of awareness, delayed treatment, and prevailing superstitions. According to reports from various national and international organizations, approximately 4.4 percent of Bangladesh’s population is infected with Hepatitis B virus, and 0.6 percent with Hepatitis C virus. These two viruses alone are estimated to cause over 20,000 deaths annually in the country.
The Chief Adviser noted that every year, many individuals in Bangladesh succumb to severe liver conditions such as hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. However, he expressed optimism that these diseases are largely preventable and that healthy, long lives can be lived through increased awareness and timely, proper treatment.
Professor Yunus affirmed his interim government’s commitment to sustainable reforms in the health sector aimed at delivering affordable and quality healthcare to the people’s doorsteps. He stated that the government has taken initiatives to enhance the quality and capacity of hospitals nationwide and strengthen the provision of free health, family welfare, and nutrition services to marginalized populations. Furthermore, medical services have been launched at the district and upazila levels through mobile phones and online platforms. The government has also initiated various programs to contribute to the worldwide goal of eliminating hepatitis by 2030, stressing that there is no alternative to the concerted efforts of everyone to achieve this objective.
Various initiatives across Bangladesh focused on educating the public about liver diseases, countering myths and misinformation, and encouraging timely and proper medical treatment.
World Hepatitis Day is observed annually on July 28 in honor of Nobel Laureate Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg, who discovered the Hepatitis B virus and developed its diagnostic test and vaccine. While the World Hepatitis Alliance initially declared May 19 as World Hepatitis Day in 2008, the WHO officially endorsed July 28 in 2010 through a resolution at the 63rd World Health Assembly. This resolution aimed to enhance global awareness of viral hepatitis as a serious public health concern and encourage member states to strengthen prevention and control efforts. Today, the day is observed in over 100 countries through diverse events such as free screenings, poster campaigns, concerts, and vaccination drives, with the WHO and the World Hepatitis Alliance jointly publishing detailed reports on global activities each year.
