Remarks at the Third Annual Meeting of the UN Group of Friends to Eliminate Hepatitis

Distinguished members of the UN Group of Friends to Eliminate Hepatitis, esteemed partners and colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,good morning. It is an honour to join you here today.

This gathering represents our collective commitment to eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat through strengthened health diplomacy and international cooperation.

The Western Pacific Region faces a disproportionate burden of viral hepatitis. With the high number of cases in large countries like China, the Philippines and Viet Nam, and alarmingly high prevalence rates in several Pacific island countries, the scale of the challenge is significant.

Over 100 million people in the Western Pacific are living with hepatitis B or C, accounting for one third of the global burden. This contributes substantially to liver disease and cancer deaths, accounting for more than 40% of global hepatitis mortality. This requires an urgent, coordinated response.

To address this challenge, WHO in the Western Pacific has taken strategic, evidence-based steps to accelerate hepatitis elimination. We established the Regional Validation Advisory Group for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis, and hepatitis elimination as a public health problem. This advisory group plays a pivotal role in guiding Member States toward achieving elimination targets and fostering collaboration among countries.

A two-pronged approach is key to ending hepatitis: prevention through vaccination, particularly for newborns and infants, and testing and treatment, especially for adults.

Our Region has made significant progress, with most Member States achieving over 90% coverage for the three-dose hepatitis B vaccination, serving as a cornerstone in preventing new infections for future generations.

However, treatment coverage remains low-only 6% for hepatitis B and 16% for hepatitis C-leaving many at risk of developing liver disease and liver cancer.

While we have expanded testing and treatment services, more efforts are needed at the primary health care level to reach unreached populations.

This requires not just scaling up services but also implementing robust, evidence-based strategies, including disease burden modeling, investment cases, and governance frameworks. Such approaches have enabled countries to prioritize hepatitis elimination and secure political commitment.

Several countries in the Region are advancing towards elimination validation or path to elimination. Malaysia has achieved validation for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis and aiming for hepatitis B.

China is advancing subnational validation for the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission. Mongolia has made strides in hepatitis elimination by expanding health insurance to cover HCV and HBV testing and treatment under the "Healthy Liver" programme.

Niue is on the verge of becoming the first country in the world to be validated for hepatitis B elimination.

These achievements underscore what can be accomplished when countries commit to evidence-based policies, integrated systems and collaborative partnerships.

Today, as we focus on the theme of 'Health Diplomacy and International Cooperation for the Global Fight against Hepatitis,' we must leverage this platform to advocate for continued investment, policy commitment and collaboration.

WHO in the Western Pacific remains steadfast in our support to Member States in this journey, offering technical expertise, facilitating partnerships, and ensuring that no country is left behind in the fight against hepatitis.

Thank you for your dedication, partnership and unwavering commitment to this cause.

Thank you.