Viral hepatitis is a global public health problem that seriously endangers public health. In 2016, the World Health Organization set a global target to eliminate the scourge of viral hepatitis by 2030. China has made great achievements in vaccinating newborns against hepatitis B and blocking mother-to-child transmission of the hepatitis virus. However, due to the large number of people infected with hepatitis virus, there are currently about 28 million chronic hepatitis B patients and about 4.5 million chronic hepatitis C patients, and it is very difficult to achieve the elimination goal. A few days ago, the Hainan Provincial Action to Eliminate the Harm of Hepatitis was launched in Haikou City. The Hainan Provincial Health Commission, in cooperation with the China Hepatitis Prevention and Control Foundation, plans to promote the proactive hepatitis prevention and control strategy of "due diligence and treatment" in the next three years, and accelerate the elimination of the health hazards of viral hepatitis to the people of Hainan Province. In the future, the China Hepatitis Prevention and Control Foundation will also promote the prevention and treatment of hepatitis in other provinces, municipalities and districts under the guidance of the National Health Commission and the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention, and finally achieve the goal of eliminating the harm of hepatitis in the country.
Wang Hesheng, director of the National Bureau of Disease Control and Prevention, pointed out that in 2017, 11 ministries and commissions including the National Health Commission jointly issued the "China Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control Plan", and in August this year, the National Health Commission and 9 other ministries and commissions jointly issued the "Action Work Plan for Eliminating the Public Health Hazards of Hepatitis C", comprehensively implementing various prevention and control measures to curb the spread of viral hepatitis and reduce the burden of diseases caused by viral hepatitis. All relevant departments have adopted measures that focus on prevention and combine prevention and treatment to control the epidemic trend of viral hepatitis. Through measures such as "national negotiation" and "centralized procurement" of drugs, the price of anti-hepatitis B and C drugs has been significantly reduced, and the accessibility of hepatitis patients to receive standardized treatment has been greatly improved.
According to experts, the implementation of hepatitis B maternal and infant blockade is the most effective means to reduce new hepatitis B infections. Since 2002, China has implemented the hepatitis B immunization program policy, timely vaccination of all newborns with hepatitis B vaccine, the rate of hepatitis B virus infection in children has continued to decline, and in 2012, the prevention and control goal of the World Health Organization's Western Pacific Region was achieved. The full and first timely vaccination rate of newborn hepatitis B vaccine in China has always maintained a high level, laying a solid foundation for the prevention of new hepatitis B infection.
Today, with the continuous application of a large number of biomedical innovations, targeted treatments can be carried out throughout the entire course of hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. For hepatitis B, although there is currently no drug for a complete cure, a large number of studies have confirmed that the use of anti-hepatitis B virus drugs, by inhibiting viral replication, can effectively delay and block the development of chronic active hepatitis B disease. In recent years, hepatitis C direct antiviral drugs have been introduced, and hepatitis C patients have been taking the drug for 12 to 24 weeks, and the complete cure rate has reached 95%. Since hepatitis C virus infection is not easy to detect, it is very important to implement the "hospital without hepatitis C" in the hospital and establish an in-hospital referral mechanism for hepatitis virus positive people, which is conducive to reducing case loss and improving the treatment rate.
Academician Li Lanjuan of the National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases said that although the increase in viral hepatitis in China is small, the stock is still large, and the prevention and treatment work is still facing severe challenges. Due to the pathogenic characteristics of viral hepatitis, the different stages of its disease course involve different departments such as obstetrics, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, etc., and the treatment methods lack unified normative standards, and it is necessary to establish treatment standards for the whole course of the disease, improve the treatment effect, and maximize the benefits of patients.
Jin Fangqian, global vice president and general manager of Gilead Sciences China, said on behalf of the donating enterprises that in addition to the rapid introduction of global innovative drugs in the field of viral hepatitis and the continuous improvement of drug accessibility through medical insurance directory access and innovative cooperation projects, the company has always cooperated closely with the government, health institutions, industry associations, non-profit organizations, media and other social parties to help promote the improvement of the national level of viral hepatitis prevention and control.
Xinmin Evening News reporter Zuo Yan
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