Experts and doctors have revealed that the number of people affected by hepatitis disease have reached in millions. It was estimated that around 10 million people are affected by hepatitis C while 1.3 million are affected by hepatitis B. Experts said that only few people would be benefitted by receiving the antiviral drugs for the disease.Experts added that only one in five infants is vaccinated against hepatitis B at the time of their birth. It was reported that around 67% of injecting drug users in the world have been exposed to hepatitis C whereas around 10% have been exposed to hepatitis B.
It was found out that in the UK; around half of the injecting drug users have been infected with the hepatitis C virus, while the rate for exposure to hepatitis B is 9%, which is the highest percentage in Western Europe.
This research was conducted by Prof Louisa Degenhardt of the Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia, and Paul Nelson from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales.
"This study provides us with a first step and powerful data to draw attention to the problem of viral hepatitis in people who use drugs. The next step is to challenge governments to act, and hold them accountable for implementation of rights-respecting and evidence-based programs", says Dr. Joseph Amon of Human Rights Watch, New York City, US.
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