At an international high-level diplomatic gathering titled “Advancing Global Action to Eliminate Hepatitis” organized alongside the UN General Assembly sessions, India reaffirmed its strategic commitment to eliminate Hepatitis B and C as public health threats by 2030. Addressing global healthcare delegates, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava highlighted the nation's comprehensive, people-centered approach toward combating viral hepatitis through integrated screening, early clinical diagnosis, targeted vaccination, and affordable antiviral treatment access. The official address underscored ongoing public health initiatives aimed at embedding routine hepatitis screening into primary healthcare delivery systems, maternal health services, and community wellness centers. Emphasizing alignment with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), health ministry representatives stressed the importance of expanding domestic diagnostic production capabilities, securing equitable therapeutic access, and reducing societal stigma associated with chronic viral infections. Public health leaders and epidemiological researchers commended the national strategy, asserting that continuous investment in preventive healthcare infrastructure and early diagnostic intervention serves as a vital blueprint for eliminating preventable infectious diseases across emerging economies.

National Delegation Emphasizes Continuum of Care at UNGA High-Level Week

Speaking on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava reaffirmed India's national commitment to eliminate Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C as public health threats by 2030. Addressing a high-level side event organized by the UN Group of Friends to Eliminate Hepatitis titled "Advancing Global Action to Eliminate Hepatitis", the Indian delegation outlined the country's comprehensive, people-centered strategy aligning domestic health interventions with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.3.

Overview: India's National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) Benchmarks

Operational Parameter / MetricNational Implementation Data & Policy Targets
Global Elimination Target Year2030 (In line with UN SDG 3.3 targets)
Total Beneficiaries ScreenedOver 21 Crore Individuals nationwide
Patients Treated Free of Cost6.0+ Lakh Patients (Hepatitis B & C regimens)
Pregnant Women Screened7.64 Crore Mothers (Preventing vertical transmission)
Active Treatment Network1,153 District Treatment Centres + 70+ Advanced Tertiary Hubs
Primary Healthcare RolloutServices integrated across 1.85+ Lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs

Strengthening Primary Healthcare and Preventing Vertical Transmission

A key focus of India’s presentation was the institutional scaling of the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP). Originally launched in 2018 under the National Health Mission, the program has evolved from district hospital-centric management to a decentralized primary care model. Free screening, point-of-care rapid diagnostics, and oral Direct-Acting Antiviral (DAA) medications for Hepatitis C—which cure over 95% of chronic cases within 12 to 24 weeks—are now delivered through more than 1.85 lakh primary-level Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

To eliminate mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B, the Health Ministry has integrated routine hepatitis screening into the national Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) framework. Over 7.64 crore pregnant women have undergone antenatal viral screening, while more than 2.24 lakh newborns delivered to Hepatitis B-positive mothers received timely Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) alongside universal birth-dose vaccination.

Digital Tracking and Global Cooperation Demands

To sustain long-term patient compliance and track treatment outcomes, India highlighted the deployment of its paperless NVHCP Case-Based Management Information System (CPMIS). Integrated directly with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), the portal allows health workers to monitor patients from initial diagnosis through antiviral completion, minimizing drop-off rates across high-risk demographic groups.

Concluding her address, the Health Secretary called for reinforced international cooperation, transparent global technology transfers, and affordable generic production to bridge global diagnostic and therapeutic gaps. Emphasizing that effective tools already exist to eradicate chronic viral hepatitis, India urged global health bodies to support sustainable health systems across the Global South to achieve the 2030 elimination targets.