WHO: Bangladesh among top 10 countries for hepatitis C burden

Bangladesh is among the world’s 10 most affected countries in terms of hepatitis C infections, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which has urged stronger efforts to expand prevention, testing and treatment services.

In a statement marking World Hepatitis Day on Tuesday, the WHO said viral hepatitis claims about 1.3 million lives globally each year, with hepatitis B and C accounting for around 95 percent of those deaths. The agency estimates that nearly 6,000 people are newly infected with hepatitis B or C every day, while about 3,500 die daily from the diseases.

The WHO said around 43 million people in Southeast Asia are living with viral hepatitis. In 2024, the region recorded an estimated 266,000 new hepatitis B and C infections and about 200,000 related deaths.

According to the agency, Bangladesh has an active hepatitis C infection rate of around 0.6 percent in the general population, with significantly higher rates among people who inject drugs, patients requiring regular blood transfusions and Rohingya refugees. The country is also among the 10 nations accounting for 69 percent of global hepatitis B-related deaths in 2024.

WHO Representative in Bangladesh Dr. Ahmed Jamshed Mohammad said viral hepatitis is preventable, treatable and, in the case of hepatitis C, curable. He stressed the need for timely testing, improved access to treatment and the removal of barriers preventing people from receiving essential healthcare services.

The WHO also recommended expanding hepatitis B vaccination at birth, strengthening safe blood transfusion and injection practices, integrating hepatitis services into primary healthcare, and improving disease surveillance to help Bangladesh achieve the global target of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.