Sunday, July 28, marked World Hepatitis Day, a vital initiative that serves as a call to action to accelerate the elimination efforts of viral hepatitis and raise awareness about some of the most serious and burdensome infectious diseases. Every 30 seconds, a hepatitis-related illness claims a life, with more than 1.3 million lives lost each year to hepatitis B and C.

The Canadian Liver Foundation joins the global push to prioritize those affected by viral hepatitis and calls for increased access to prevention, testing, and treatment. More than 350 million people are living with viral hepatitis globally, and nine in 10 people are unaware of their diagnosis.

Canada has signed on to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s global viral hepatitis strategy, with the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Canadian organizations have several asks for federal, provincial, and municipal leaders to achieve this result.

Canadian facts related to viral hepatitis:

• An estimated 204,000 people in Canada were living with chronic hepatitis C in 2019.
• Hepatitis B and C are among Canada’s most burdensome infectious diseases – measured in years of life lost and in costs to our health-care system.
• Hepatitis B and C are linked to liver cancer. 
• According to Action Hepatitis Canada’s 2023 Progress Report, Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, and Yukon are not on track to meet the 2030 target for elimination.
• Viral hepatitis disproportionately affects marginalized populations.

Increasing education and awareness is an important step in the elimination of viral hepatitis. With this year’s World Hepatitis Day theme in mind, the Canadian Liver Foundation is encouraging Canadians to #TakeAction by exploring the newly launched Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Risk Assessment Tool. This short quiz aims to help individuals understand their risk of viral hepatitis and liver cancer and the steps that they can take to protect their liver health. Learn more about viral hepatitis here.