Council launches plan to eradicate viral hepatitis in Andalusia by 2030.

The Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs, Rocío Hernández, presented this Wednesday the Andalusian Strategic Plan against Viral Hepatitis 2024-2030 (PEAHEP), approved by the Government Council last July. The goal is to improve the management of viral hepatitis in the community, where 621 new cases of viral hepatitis were reported in 2023.

Hernandez emphasized that “this plan is innovative in Spain, since it will be the first and only one in which all viral hepatitis (HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV and HEV) will be included in the same strategy”, which is in line with the goals of the World Organization Health Organization (WHO) to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.

To address this public health problem, PEAHEP arises in response to the high prevalence and burden of disease, although “it is estimated that a large proportion of the Andalusian population is unaware of their infection, contributing to ongoing transmission and progression. “The disease is entering a more serious stage,” said Jorge del Diego, director general of the Office of Public Health and Pharmaceutical Regulation.

Likewise, the introduction of new treatment and prevention methods has significantly improved the treatment of viral hepatitis. Direct acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C, vaccines for hepatitis A and B, and prevention strategies for hepatitis E and D have been shown to be highly effective. These treatments and preventative measures not only improve individual health, but also significantly reduce the risk of transmission by eliminating active infection in treated patients and preventing new infections.

In 2023, 621 cases of viral hepatitis were reported in Andalusia: 72 of hepatitis A; 79 hepatitis B; 393 from hepatitis C and 77 from other viral hepatitis. Of the total number of infections, 443 were in men, accounting for 71.3% of the total, and 178 in women, accounting for 28.66%. By age, the largest number of infections occurs in the age group from 45 to 65 years for all types of viral hepatitis among men – 251 cases (56.65% of the total number of cases in men); in women it varies depending on the type, while hepatitis A infection was recorded to a greater extent among persons under the age of 14 years (11 cases in total), and the rest were also concentrated in the group from 45 to 65 years. (six from hepatitis B, 54 from C and 17 from the rest).

The incidence of hepatitis A in Andalusia is 8.4 per 100,000 inhabitants; hepatitis B – 9.2 per 100,000 inhabitants; The incidence rate of hepatitis C is 45.8 per 100,000 inhabitants, and for other viral hepatitis – 9 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Andalusia’s strategic plan to combat viral hepatitis 2024–2030 consists of five specific and two cross-cutting strategic directions. The first focuses on health promotion with the goal of increasing the population’s ability to improve their health and develop healthy habits through health education.

The second focus, on prevention and diagnosis, involves strengthening the immunity of populations at highest risk against hepatitis A and B, improving prevention education and promoting early diagnosis to break chains of transmission. The priority goal is to diagnose 90% of people infected with hepatitis C virus, which will reduce the incidence of new infections.

The third area is aimed at protecting consumers, in particular, it aims to reduce the health impact of consuming food contaminated with hepatitis A; reduce the risk of foodborne hepatitis E virus transmission and implement a One Health information system to improve surveillance of hepatitis A and E.

The fourth direction is based on facilitating access to antiviral treatment and monitoring of people diagnosed with hepatitis B, C and D, both the general population and vulnerable groups with poor adherence to specialized consultations. To this end, one-stage diagnosis of hepatitis C will be gradually introduced with the constant development of hepatitis B and D.

The fifth strategic direction sets general goals for knowledge of the epidemiological situation of viral hepatitis in Andalusia; strengthen epidemiological surveillance mechanisms to improve detection of cases of viral hepatitis and implementation of prevention and control measures.

Finally, two transverse lines relate to training aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness of the management of viral hepatitis among health care workers, as well as developing a training plan to ensure that professionals acquire the necessary skills for managing viral hepatitis; research and innovation.