NEW DELHI: India carries one of the heaviest hepatitis burdens in the world, but delay in diagnosis and treatment remains the biggest gap in the country despite its seriousness, say experts.
On the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, which is observed on July 28, experts quoted the World Health Organisation's Global Hepatitis Report 2026, which states that India is among ten countries that together account for nearly 69% of hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide and 58% of global hepatitis C deaths.
“What makes the crisis harder to fight is not the virus itself, but the delay in diagnosis and treatment, they said on Monday, adding that chronic hepatitis B and C are the world’s leading cause of liver cancer.
According to Dr. Saurabh Singhal, Consultant Orthopaedics, Aakash Healthcare, "Hepatitis A and E spike every monsoon because of contaminated water and poor sanitation, and most of those patients recover. But it is the hepatitis B and C cases - the quiet, chronic ones - that worry us most, because patients often don't know they are carrying the infection until liver damage is already underway. Awareness and early testing remain the biggest gaps in our country."
Added Dr. Amit Miglani, Director and HoD Gastroenterology, Asian Hospital, “Hepatitis doesn't always announce itself. Many patients walk in for something unrelated and are stunned to learn their liver has been silently damaged for years.”
"That's why we keep pushing for opportunistic screening, especially in patients with diabetes, obesity, or a family history of liver disease, rather than waiting for symptoms to show up."
Dr. Pavan Hanchanale, Consultant - Hepatology and Liver Transplant physician, Jupiter Hospital, Pune, said, "The biggest shift we need in India is treating hepatitis B and C the way we treat any chronic disease. Though hepatitis B can be kept under control with medication, we can cure hepatitis C with newer antiviral medications (DAA)."
Doctors also stress that hepatitis' reach extends well beyond the liver, into intimate areas of health rarely discussed in public.
"Hepatitis is often perceived as a liver disease, but its impact extends far beyond the liver," said Dr. Vineet Malhotra, Head of Urology, VNA Hospital "Chronic hepatitis, particularly hepatitis B and C, can disrupt hormone metabolism, reduce testosterone levels, cause fatigue and psychological stress, and contribute to sexual dysfunction, including reduced libido and erectile difficulties in some men."
"Advanced liver disease may also affect sperm quality and overall fertility. Early diagnosis, timely antiviral treatment, hepatitis B vaccination and routine liver health screening can help avoid long term complications while preserving both overall and reproductive health,” he added.
For women the stakes are just as big, especially with pregnancy, experts added.
"Hepatitis can have important implications for women's reproductive health," said Dr. Hrishikesh Pai, Gynecologist Lilavati Hospital Mumbai and Fortis Hospital New Delhi. "While many women with chronic hepatitis can conceive successfully, untreated hepatitis B or C increases the need for careful monitoring before and during pregnancy to reduce the risk of maternal complications and mother-to-child transmission."