Experts Advocate Wider Screening, Adult Immunisation and Maternal Care to Support Hepatitis Elimination Goals

Experts advocate a prevention-first approach, emphasising early diagnosis, equitable treatment and stronger maternal healthcare

India has the knowledge, vaccines, diagnostics and treatments needed to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat. The next challenge is ensuring that these lifesaving interventions reach every individual-from expectant mothers and newborns to high-risk adults-through universal screening, adult immunisation, stronger maternal healthcare, early diagnosis and equitable access to treatment, leading policymakers, hepatologists and public health experts said at the second edition of the Illness to Wellness Foundation's conference on "Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment for Hepatitis," organised on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day 2026.

Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, and Chairperson, Governing Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, said, "India has made meaningful progress through the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme, but achieving greater impact will require stronger collaboration across stakeholders. Government, healthcare institutions, the private sector, civil society and development partners must work together to expand the reach of hepatitis services and ensure that quality care is available to every community. A well-integrated, partnership-driven approach will be key to building a stronger and more inclusive public health response."

Highlighting India's progress in hepatitis prevention while outlining the next phase of the country's response, Padma Bhushan Dr. (Prof.) S. K. Sarin, Senior Professor, Department of Hepatology & Director, ILBS, emphasised, "India's next priority must be to expand adult hepatitis B immunisation, encourage early diagnosis, eliminate stigma and ensure timely treatment for every patient.

Preventing hepatitis is no longer only about scientific progress-it is about reaching every individual with the care they need, so that no one is left behind in India's journey towards eliminating viral hepatitis."

Delivering the welcome address, Mr. Anil Rajput, Chairperson, Advisory Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, asserted, "We believe that success demands a whole-of-society approach. Governments, healthcare professionals, researchers, industry, civil society, the media and citizens all have vital roles to play. Public health succeeds not through isolated efforts but through partnerships that place prevention at the heart of national development. The Illness to Wellness Foundation remains committed to advancing this movement through awareness, evidence-based dialogue and collaborative action. Our aspiration is simple yet ambitious-to make wellness the first line of defence and prevention the first principle of healthcare."

Highlighting the importance of maternal health in hepatitis elimination, Dr. Asha Hegde, Director South Asia - HIV/Hepatitis/STIs and Family Health, PATH India, said, "Today, the challenge is no longer the absence of scientific solutions-we already have effective vaccines, accurate diagnostics and highly effective therapies. The real challenge lies in delivering these interventions consistently, equitably and at scale. Every pregnancy should be an opportunity to prevent hepatitis transmission, every birth should be protected, and every child should have the opportunity to grow up free from hepatitis. Achieving this will require stronger integration of healthcare services and collective action across all stakeholders."

Addressing the gathering, Dr. R. S. Mishra, Principal Director & Head - Internal Medicine, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, underlined, "Hepatitis often progresses silently, making awareness and timely action critical. Along with strengthening healthcare systems, we must empower people to seek testing without fear or stigma and ensure that quality care is accessible to everyone who needs it."

Providing a clinical perspective, Dr. Anil Agarwal, Co-chairman, Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, "India has made remarkable progress in hepatitis care, but sustained success will depend on greater adult immunisation, stronger patient awareness and ensuring continuity of care. Our collective effort must be to translate medical advances into better health outcomes for every patient."

Providing insights into advances and challenges in hepatitis diagnostics, Dr. Anita Shete-Aich, Scientist-E, Hepatitis Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, emphasised, "Early and accurate diagnosis remains the cornerstone of hepatitis elimination. Strengthening screening, expanding access to quality diagnostics and integrating molecular testing wherever appropriate will enable timely treatment, improve surveillance and support India's goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030."

The conference featured three thematic technical sessions that examined critical dimensions of hepatitis prevention and management across the continuum of care. The inaugural session was followed by three panel discussions that explored different aspects of hepatitis prevention, diagnosis, treatment and long-term care.

The first panel discussion, "Women's Health and Hepatitis: Prevention, Maternal Care, and Eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission", focused on universal screening during pregnancy, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, birth-dose hepatitis B vaccination and integrating hepatitis screening into maternal healthcare services. Moderated by Dr. Rahul Manchanda, the panel featured Dr. Gargi Agarwal, Dr. (Prof.) Kamna Datta and Dr. Bhavana Malhotra, who highlighted strategies to strengthen maternal and newborn care and eliminate vertical transmission of hepatitis.

The second panel discussion, "Integrated Approaches to Viral Hepatitis Prevention: Vaccination, Awareness, Screening, and Early Intervention", explored strategies to expand vaccination coverage, strengthen community awareness, improve screening programmes, enhance infection prevention and leverage digital health technologies and public-private partnerships to improve hepatitis prevention and patient care. Moderated by Dr. Kapil Dev Jamwal, the session featured a special presentation by Dr. Anita Shete-Aich, followed by an engaging discussion with Dr. Manoj Gupta, Dr. (Prof.) Jugal Kishore and Dr. K. Madan Gopal on strengthening collaborative approaches to hepatitis elimination.

The third panel discussion, "From Prevention to Wellness: The Role of Nutrition and Diet in Hepatitis Care", underscored the importance of nutrition and healthy lifestyle interventions in supporting liver health and improving treatment outcomes. Moderated by Dr. Rajesh Kesari, the panel brought together Ms. Ishi Khosla, Dr. Shikha Sharma, Dr. Shabana Parveen and Dr. Kalpana Bhamini Sehra, who emphasised personalised nutrition, dietary counselling and community education as integral components of comprehensive hepatitis care and long-term wellness.

Delivering the concluding remarks, Dr. Suneela Garg, Member, FICCI Swasth Bharat Task Force, emphasised that eliminating viral hepatitis would require a whole-of-society approach, with sustained public awareness, timely vaccination, stronger preventive healthcare, reduced stigma and coordinated action across government, healthcare institutions, academia, civil society and communities to accelerate progress towards the WHO's 2030 elimination goal.

The experts collectively underscored that eliminating viral hepatitis is an achievable goal for India. They called for sustained investments in preventive healthcare, universal screening, adult immunisation, maternal and child health interventions, timely diagnosis, equitable access to treatment and stronger public awareness to translate scientific advances into improved health outcomes and achieve the World Health Organization's 2030 elimination target.

"Women's Health and Hepatitis: Prevention, Maternal Care, and Eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission", focused on universal screening during pregnancy, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, birth-dose hepatitis B vaccination and integrating hepatitis screening into maternal healthcare services