Wales strengthens Hepatitis testing and treatment

Eluned Morgan MS, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Social Care and Welsh Language, has provided an important update on World Hepatitis Day 2024, detailing Wales’ ongoing efforts and successes in eliminating hepatitis B and C as public health threats.

Hepatitis B and C are blood-borne viruses that can lead to severe liver damage and even liver failure if untreated.

While these viruses can remain asymptomatic for years, their impact becomes evident when liver damage is already extensive.

Despite the challenges, Wales has made significant strides in reducing the prevalence of these infections.

Hepatitis B is predominantly transmitted from mother to child during birth, through child-to-child contact, unprotected sex, and shared needles.

The Infected Blood scandal also contributed to the spread of hepatitis B in the UK.

Since the early 2000s, routine screening for hepatitis B has been part of the antenatal screening programme.

The introduction of the hepatitis B vaccine into the routine childhood vaccination programme in 2017 has seen an uptake rate of 94.5% in Wales.

Consequently, hepatitis B has become rare among children, though it remains an issue among unvaccinated adults.

Hepatitis C primarily spreads through blood-to-blood contact and is most commonly transmitted in Wales through shared needles among drug users.

An estimated 4,000 people in Wales are believed to be living with undiagnosed hepatitis C.

While there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, effective antiviral treatments are available.

Since the last update in February 2023, Wales has made notable progress:

All health boards and substance misuse Area Planning Boards have developed joint local elimination plans. Each health board has appointed an executive lead and established multi-agency steering groups to oversee progress.

Central funding has been allocated for key national coordination posts until the end of this Senedd term.

A free and confidential home testing service has been implemented. These initiatives have led to increased testing rates, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, and significant achievements such as HMP Berwyn announcing the elimination of hepatitis C within the prison.

Furthermore, 2023 saw the highest number of individuals starting hepatitis C treatment since the pandemic.

Public Health Wales has published its annual report, which tracks trends in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of blood-borne viruses, summarising progress towards the World Health Organisation’s elimination indicators.

Eluned Morgan expressed her gratitude for the hard work and dedication across Wales, emphasising the need for continued efforts to enhance testing across various services to meet the WHO’s 2030 elimination targets.

She urged anyone who believes they might be at risk to get tested and take advantage of the free and confidential home testing service available in Wales.

“I will continue to provide regular updates on our efforts to eliminate hepatitis B and C as public health threats in Wales,” Morgan concluded, reaffirming the government’s commitment to this critical health initiative.

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