India Targets Viral Hepatitis Elimination as Public‑Health Goal for 2030

New Delhi, July 28 — State Health and Family Welfare Minister Anupreeya Patel used the World Hepatitis Day 2026 platform to reaffirm India’s ambition to wipe out viral hepatitis as a public‑health menace by 2030. The address, themed “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down”, called on national and state governments, as well as healthcare partners, to intensify all facets of hepatitis control.

Patel reminded the audience that the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) was launched in 2018 under the National Health Mission, marking the nation’s pledge to eradicate hepatitis within a twelve‑year horizon.

She highlighted that the programme has achieved notable strides in prevention, mass screening, diagnostic capacity and treatment accessibility. India now provides free hepatitis C medication and affordable hepatitis B management, positioning the country among a select group of nations offering such comprehensive care.

“The cost of antiviral drugs has been driven down to less than US$1, while high‑quality testing services are being rolled out across districts,” Patel noted.

The implementation model began with reinforcing district health centres for uncomplicated cases and establishing referral centres for complex patients. The next phase extended screening and treatment services to over 185,000 Ayushman Bharat health‑and‑wellness centres, thereby integrating hepatitis services into primary care.

Patel also announced the distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) kits to all states and Union territories. These kits contain hepatitis B and C posters that explain transmission routes and detail the free services available under NVHCP.

The minister’s call to action signals a determined push toward a hepatitis‑free India by 2030, echoing the targets set by the World Health Organization.