On the morning of June 3, Li Lanjuan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, delivered a speech, entitled "Start at the Source - Providing Early Detection and Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatitis B", at a sub-forum of of the 2nd Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia, themed on “Viral Hepatitis Elimination Initiative”. 

Li Lanjuan said that Viral hepatitis is an infectious disease that seriously affects the health of people in China. Starting at the source, early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment are the fundamental reasons for preventing and controling the COVID-19 epidemic. All infectious diseases can be prevented and treated based on these three ways.

In the past thirty years, the epidemic chain of hepatitis B in China has gone from a high to a medium epidemic level. As of last year, the infection rate of hepatitis B in children under 5 years of age dropped to 1%, and in general, we have made great achievements in the prevention and control of hepatitis B through vaccine immunization. However, this does not mean that hepatitis B is under absolute control in China. We cannot lower our guard. In fact, the situation of preventing and controling hepatitis B prevention in China is still relatively serious, and many adults are still infected.

Viral hepatitis, if not detected, will not be effectively treated, and if not effectively treated in an early stage, it will cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. About 7 million people in China suffer from cirrhosis, 77% of which are caused by viral hepatitis, mainly hepatitis B and C.

Early diagnosis and early treatment are very important to eliminate hepatitis B. We must address the issue of the low rate of diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B. Many people still have little knowledge about hepatitis B and think that hepatitis B cannot be cured. Some of them do not seek treatment or even stop taking medication after infected.

Li Lanjuan said for the next step we should adopt new prevention and treatment measures,including support for health checkups and testing of people who have not been tested for hepatitis B to check whether they are susceptible or infected.  Those who are infected need receive treatment as early as possible, while those who are susceptible should get vaccinated if their test is negative, which could greatly cut the rate of new infections.

Li Lanjuan hoped that antiviral treatment of hepatitis B could be included in medical insurance nationwide to ease the burden on patients and lower the incidence of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. The policy of ensuring that all those in need are treated should be implemented to improve the quality of life of hepatitis B patients and extend their life expectancy.

It is a long way to go to eliminate hepatitis B. We hope that governments, universities and hospitals at all levels will cooperate and provide early screening, early diagnosis and early treatment to ensure the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B and contribute to the early elimination of hepatitis B. We also need the technical support of talents from enterprises, so that we can work together to fight for the early elimination of hepatitis B and dedicate to an early realization of a healthy China.