India's Fight to Combat Hepatitis

PIB Backgrounder India's Fight to Combat Hepatitis प्रव तथ: 27 JUL 2026 10:45AM by PIB Delhi India is systematically breaking down healthcare barriers to achieve its 2030 goal of combating hepatitis. National Viral Hepatitis Control Program has adopted a health systems approach and integrated with various national programs to prevent infection and provide services including free drugs and diagnostics to the people affected with the disease.

What is Hepatitis? Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, caused by hepatitis viruses or even other infections, toxic substances such as alcohol and drugs, and autoimmune diseases. There are five main hepatitis viruses, of which type B and type C are the most common and lead to chronic disease including cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Hepatitis has been recognised as a public health problem in India. In 2018, the Government launched the National Viral Hepatitis Program to combat this disease by providing screening and treatment services.

This is in line with United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal of combating various viral diseases.

Modes of Transmission, Prevention and Management Hepatitis Virus Causes / Transmission Prevention & TreatmentHepatitis A (HAV) Faecal-oral route via Prevention: Safe drinking water, hygiene and contaminated food/water sanitation measures

Poor sanitation and lack of Treatment: Usually Self-limiting. Supportive care safe drinking water (hydration/nutrition). No specific antiviral Hepatitis B (HBV) Most commonly: Mother-to- Prevention: Vaccine preventable disease. Hepatitis child at birth B Vaccine under the Universal Immunization Contact with infected blood Program (birth dose at the earliest and certainly and blood products and body within 24 hours of birth, at 6,10 and 14 weeks of fluids etc birth)

Treatment: Chronic hepatitis B is managed with antiviral medication amongst those eligible as per the national guidelines Hepatitis C (HCV) Exposure to blood from Prevention: Adopting harm reduction measures unsafe injections/ procedures (needle exchange), safe injection practices. There Sharing needles/syringes is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C infection

Contact with infected blood Treatment: Cured in 12-24 weeks in nearly all and blood products and body patients using pan-genotypic regimen with Direct- fluids etc Acting Antiviral (DAAs) drugs

Hepatitis D Contact with infected blood Prevention: By preventing the underlying HBV

(HDV) and blood products and body infection, the Hepatitis B vaccine concurrently fluids etc confers full protection against HDV infection Infection only amongst some chronic HBV carriers Hepatitis E (HEV) Faecal-oral route via Prevention: Safe drinking water, hygiene and contaminated food/water sanitation measures

Poor sanitation and lack of Treatment: Usually Self-limiting. Supportive care safe drinking water (hydration/nutrition). No specific antiviral drugs National Viral Hepatitis Control Program& Others The key strategies adopted under the NVHCP include preventive, promotive and curative interventions with the focus on awareness generation, increasing access, providing diagnosis and treatment for viral hepatitis to all in need.

The NVHCP program deals with Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E viruses.

Hepatitis A and E are usually acute, symptomatic and outbreak prone and monitored through Integrated Disease Surveillance Program.

Free diagnostics and drugs are being made available to all in need, for management of hepatitis C and hepatitis B.

The program uses paperless system of recording and reporting for patient management andmonitoring though NVHCP-MIS portal.Seroprevalence is the share of people who test positive for a disease in a sample survey. In India's 2021 HIV Sentinel Surveillance data, about 0.85% of people tested positive for Hepatitis B and 0.29% for Hepatitis C — roughly 1 in 118 and 1 in 345 people, respectively.

The government runs various national health programs that also help in the prevention and treatment of the disease.

Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition program:

Universal screening of pregnant women for Hepatitis B.

Universal Immunisation Program To ensure 100% hepatitis B birth dose to all newborns and Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) to newborns of positive pregnant women along with hepatitis B birth dose within 24 hours of birth National AIDS Control Program (NACP): Screening of high-risk groups for hepatitis B and C either through facility or outreach.

Hepatitis B vaccination of healthcare workers and hepatitis B screened negative HRGs for infection prevention National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP): Use of existing machines under NTEP for molecular testing.

Blood Transfusion services: Linkage of Hepatitis B/C positive donors for further management.

The program also has its toll-free number (1800-11-6666) shared with the NTEP which provides general information about the infection, its prevention, modes of transmission, management and the various service delivery sites strengthened under the program across the country.

Combating Hepatitis Since 2018, India's National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme has offered free screening and treatment for Hepatitis B and C nationwide. Smart use of local funding, cheaper generic drugs, and existing health programs has helped expand this care further. Services are now moving from district hospitals down to local health centers, bringing testing and treatment closer to everyone. This reflects the spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas — collective effort for inclusive growth, reaching every citizen.

References

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C (based on HIV Sentinel Surveillance, plus 2021) Report

2023.

https://nvhcp.mohfw.gov.in/about_us

Others:

https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hepatitis-day/2026

https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/hepatitis

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