A globe with a liver symbol, awareness ribbon, and the 2025 theme 'Let’s Break It Down'
World Hepatitis Day is marked around the world annually on 28 July, and in 2025, it is on a Monday. The day brings much-needed attention every year to addressing hepatitis, a liver inflammation caused by the infection that, if left untreated, will culminate in severe diseases such as liver cancer and chronic liver disease.
The history of this commemoration is inextricably linked to Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg, and the Nobel Prize-winning physician and geneticist who identified the hepatitis B virus in 1967. His pioneering efforts were also the result of the creation of the first hepatitis B vaccine. In recognition of his achievements, 28 July, his date of birth was chosen to be World Hepatitis Day.
The day is designed to promote global awareness of hepatitis, with an emphasis on prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment. Governments, health organizations, and civil society worldwide employ this opportunity to enhance both national and global action against hepatitis.
World Hepatitis Day theme for 2025 is 'Let's Break It Down', an appeal for the eradication of the numerous 'financial, social, and systemic barriers, including stigma' which are slowing down measures to prevent and cure hepatitis and liver cancer.
The message of this year underscores the need for increasing access to and integration of hepatitis services in national health systems. The theme motivates simplification, scale-up, and integration of integral health services like vaccination, safe injecting, harm reduction, and particularly testing and treatment.
Finally, World Hepatitis Day 2025 is a call to action. It underlines the necessity to intensify efforts towards ensuring holistic care and concrete action in achieving the elimination of hepatitis as a public health danger by the year 2030.
