Health Ministry gives clarion call for Hepatitis Mukt Bharat

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The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare celebrated World Hepatitis Day 2026, on July 28th, under the global theme "Hepatitis: Let's Eliminate It", marking the completion of eight years of the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP). Launched on World Hepatitis Day in 2018 under the National Health Mission of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the programme reflects India's commitment to eliminate public health risks to viral hepatitis by 2030, in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Goal 3.3.

Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers delivered the keynote address and reiterated the commitment of the Government of India for a Hepatitis Free India and called upon the Government, States and all stakeholders to make intensive efforts to achieve this goal.

The Minister stressed on the importance of vaccination of healthcare workers to prevent occupational infections and called for targeted interventions among high-risk populations to protect vulnerable groups from chronic liver disease and liver cancer. 

She also released Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, including posters on Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, highlighting the modes of infection and the services available under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) to disseminate them to the States and UTs.

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted the significant progress achieved under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme. She informed that more than 21 crore beneficiaries have been screened under this programme, while more than 6 lakh patients have received free treatment.