MANILA — For the Department of Health (DOH), viral hepatitis is “urgent and requiring of utmost prioritization.”

This, as international medical experts are reportedly urging countries with high cases of viral hepatitis to declare public health emergencies, in a bid to eliminate the diseases by 2030.

"Short of declaring a public health emergency (PHE), we invite our partner advocates to make concrete and actionable recommendations that we may work on together in a short span of time. PHE declarations are options that must be carefully considered due to their effects on other health concerns and programs," DOH spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said in a statement.

Domingo believes that the strengthening of health systems is a "win-win approach" to combat the disease.

"For example, rather than focus on Hepatitis B vaccination alone, we can always advocate for stronger routine immunization systems that will take care of viral hepatitis plus many more diseases," he explained.

Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed alarm over the number of deaths due to viral hepatitis infections, which averaged around 3,500 deaths daily in 2022, based on the 2024 Global Hepatitis Report.

PH among countries with high cases of viral hepatitis

The Philippines recorded 400,000 Hepatitis C infections in 2022 - a disease which does not have a vaccine to date - while Hepatitis B infections reached 5.7 million in all age groups.

This makes the country among those that represent two thirds of the global disease burden of both Hepatitis B and C.

In a DOH forum, Dr. Angelo Lozada, vice president of the Hepatology Society of the Philippines, also dubbed Hepatitis B as "endemic," with "high prevalence" in the country.

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“Mayroong one out of six Filipinos who are estimated to be living with hepatitis B... Based on the study of Dr. Ong, which is a local study that was done in 2013, merong estimated na around 17 percent ng adult Filipinos are estimated to have Hepatitis B... In 2017, the prevalence estimate of the general population [is] 9.7 [percent], representing 10 million chronic infections," Lozada explained.

(One out of six Filipinos is estimated to be living with hepatitis B. Based on a local study of Dr. Ong done in 2013, there is an estimated 17 percent of adult Filipinos estimated to have Hepatitis B. In 2017, the prevalence estimate of the general population is 9.7 percent, representing 10 million chronic infections.)

"There's an estimated projection of increase in terms of decompensated liver cirrhosis, which is iyong complication ng Hepatitis B, at saka iyong incidence of liver cancer. Iyong 10-year projection is estimated to increase by 20 to 30 percent kung hindi tayo mag-aaksyon... At the present time... between males and females, there's really no difference by age as well as by sex," he added.

(There's an estimated projection of increase in terms of decompensated liver cirrhosis, which is a complication of Hepatitis B, as well as the incidence of liver cancer. The 10-year projection is estimated to increase by 20 to 30 percent if we don't take action. At the present time, between males and females, there's really no difference by age as well as by sex.)

Lozada said some pregnant women also have hepatitis B, which they may transmit to their children.

The DOH has long been advocating for routine vaccines, which are safe and available for free in health centers, and includes vaccine for Hepatitis B.