New Delhi, July 27, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India is strengthening its fight against viral hepatitis by expanding screening, free diagnostic services and treatment facilities under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP), the government said on Monday.
Launched in 2018, the programme aims to reduce the burden of viral hepatitis in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and has been integrated with other national health initiatives to improve prevention, diagnosis and patient care.
According to an official statement, NVHCP focuses on preventive, promotive and curative measures, including awareness campaigns, wider access to healthcare services, and free diagnosis and treatment for people affected by viral hepatitis.
The programme covers hepatitis A, B, C, D and E, with patient management and monitoring carried out through a paperless NVHCP-MIS portal.
While hepatitis A and E are generally acute infections and can lead to outbreaks, their surveillance is conducted through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme. The government provides free medicines and diagnostic support for managing hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
Citing data from the 2021 HIV Sentinel Surveillance, the government said around 0.85 per cent of those tested were found positive for hepatitis B and 0.29 per cent for hepatitis C, indicating a prevalence of approximately one in 118 and one in 345 people respectively.
The government is also supporting universal hepatitis B screening for pregnant women under reproductive and maternal health programmes. Measures are being taken to ensure all newborns receive the hepatitis B birth dose within 24 hours of birth, along with hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) for infants born to hepatitis B-positive mothers.
To improve public access to information and services, NVHCP operates a toll-free helpline number, 1800-11-6666, shared with the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme. The service provides information on hepatitis prevention, transmission, treatment and available healthcare facilities across the country.
FOLLOW NOW
