Eluned Morgan MS, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Social Care and Welsh Language
As we prepare to mark World Hepatitis Day 2024 on Sunday (28 July), I am providing an update about our commitment to and progress towards eliminating hepatitis B and C as a public health threat in Wales.
Hepatitis B and C are viruses in the blood, which can be transmitted between people and, for some people, can cause serious liver damage and lead to complete liver failure. Unfortunately, we still see deaths in Wales each year due to these viruses, although this number has fallen and is now very small.
These viruses are challenging as they will typically not cause any symptoms until they have been in the body for many years. By the time symptoms start to show it’s because the liver has stopped working properly and considerable damage has already been done.
Hepatitis B is a common infection worldwide. It is usually spread from infected pregnant women to their babies, or from child-to-child contact. It can also be spread through unprotected sex and by sharing needles to inject drugs. An unknown number of people in the UK became infected as a result of the Infected Blood scandal.
Routine screening for hepatitis B has been part of the antenatal screening programme since the early 2000s. In 2017, hepatitis B vaccination became part of the routine childhood vaccination programme and uptake rates in Wales are currently 94.5%. These interventions mean hepatitis B in Wales is now rare in children, but it remains an issue among unvaccinated adults.
Hepatitis C is also a common infection worldwide and although Wales is a low prevalence country, it is currently estimated there are more than 4,000 people living in Wales who have hepatitis C but don’t know
It is usually spread through blood-to-blood contact with an infected person; in Wales it is most commonly spread through sharing needles used to inject drugs. Thousands of people became infected as a result of the Infected Blood scandal and it is also associated with poor healthcare practices and unsafe medical injections outside the NHS.
Hepatitis C can be treated with very effective antiviral medicines, but there's currently no vaccine available.
We have continued to make progress towards elimination since my written statement in February 2023:
- All health boards and substance misuse Area Planning Boards have detailed joint local elimination plans, which set out a wide range of actions to be undertaken at a local level.
- All health boards have identified an executive lead and have local multi-agency steering groups to oversee progress.
- Central funding has been ringfenced for key national co-ordination posts until the end of this Senedd term.
- We have a free and confidential home testing service.
As a result, we have seen:
- Testing rates increase again in 2023 and are now exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
- Notable successes in key settings, such as HMP Berwyn announcing elimination within the prison.
- The highest number of people starting treatment for hepatitis C since the pandemic.
Our progress towards elimination is being closely monitored. Public Health Wales has today published its annual report looking at trends in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of blood borne viruses in Wales. This includes a summary of progress against the World Health Organisation’s elimination indicators.
I would like to put on record my thanks for all the hard work across Wales to deliver this progress. Over the coming year, services will need to focus their efforts to improve testing levels across a range of services if we are to achieve the World Health Organisation’s 2030 elimination targets.
I strongly urge anyone who believes they may be at risk to get tested, so they can get the treatment they need. You can speak to a healthcare professional about getting tested or simply use the free and confidential home testing service that’s available in Wales.
I will continue to provide regular updates on our efforts to eliminate hepatitis B and C as a public health threat in Wales.
This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep members informed. Should members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Senedd returns I would be happy to do so.