On July 28, 2025, amidst the rising chorus of summer cicadas, we welcome a day filled with care – the 15th "World Hepatitis Day."

This year, China's theme is "Social Co-governance to Eliminate Hepatitis," like a gentle ray of sunshine, calling on us to slow down and pay collective attention to lives silently enduring the pain of illness. Let us join hands to convey understanding and hope, infusing warm strength into the effort to eliminate the harm caused by hepatitis.

01 Current Status and Challenges of Viral Hepatitis

In China, the prevention and control of viral hepatitis remains a long-distance race requiring patience and perseverance. According to data, the number of viral hepatitis cases in China from January to June 2024 increased by 20.41% year-on-year to 968,000. The death toll has also been rising, reaching 978 deaths from January to June 2024, a year-on-year increase of 57.74%.

Behind these numbers lie the anxieties and hopes of countless families. Despite medical advancements where new drugs have brought cure rates of over 95% for hepatitis C patients, uneven medical resources and insufficient public awareness still cause many to miss the optimal window for treatment in silence.

In the wider world, different countries are fighting hepatitis in their own ways: developing countries struggle due to limited medical resources, with many patients unable to even access basic screening; developed countries face the complex challenge of an aging society intertwined with new transmission risks.

But regardless of regional differences, eliminating hepatitis requires collective global effort – just as the prosperity of a forest stems from the growth of every tree, the future of human health depends on the attention and action of every individual.

02 Breaking Down the Social Wall of Hepatitis Discrimination

In recent years, the shadow of "fear of hepatitis" has caused many hepatitis B carriers to face injustice in the workplace and in daily life.

In the workplace, many hepatitis B carriers, despite having normal liver function and extremely low infectivity, often face unfair treatment during pre-employment medical examinations. Employers, out of excessive concern about "infection risk" or worries about future medical burdens, frequently reject or deny promotions to these fully capable job seekers through various subtle means.

This discrimination not only deprives hepatitis virus carriers of equal employment rights but also causes profound harm to their career development and mental health. Over the past decade, 34.6% of hepatitis B carriers in China have still experienced employment discrimination (2023 White Paper on the Current Status of Hepatitis B Discrimination in China).

Discrimination in the marriage market is equally regrettable. During blind dates, "whether one has liver disease" has become a sensitive question second only to housing and car ownership. Many young people of marriageable age have been repeatedly rejected due to their hepatitis B carrier status. But in fact, the transmission routes of hepatitis B and C are clearly preventable, and daily activities like handshakes or sharing meals pose no risk.

As the most patient organ in our body, the liver silently shoulders the heavy responsibilities of metabolism and detoxification, yet rarely发出 pain protests. Precisely for this reason, we should approach hepatitis with a scientific attitude, replacing discrimination with understanding, and bridging gaps with care.

03 Scientific Understanding of Hepatitis

The liver undertakes numerous vital physiological functions. It is the hub of metabolism, the guardian of detoxification, and the "processing plant" for nutrients. The health status of the liver critically impacts overall bodily functions. However, many habits and environmental factors in modern life place immense pressure and severe damage on the liver. Risk factors such as poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of exercise, viral infections, and misuse of medications and supplements are silently eroding liver health, leading to high rates of hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.

The most common type of hepatitis is viral hepatitis. Based on the different virus strains, it is classified into hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, and unclassified hepatitis.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is primarily transmitted through contaminated food and water. Most clinical cases of hepatitis A are mild, with only a very small number of patients progressing to liver failure. The majority recover after symptomatic supportive treatment.

Hepatitis B remains the main type of hepatitis leading to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer in China. HBV is not transmitted through the respiratory or digestive tracts. It is primarily transmitted through blood, mother-to-child, and sexual contact. In China, mother-to-child transmission is the predominant route, accounting for 40%-50% of new infections.

Hepatitis C is known as the "silent killer" because many patients have no obvious discomfort, and even their liver enzymes may be normal, yet the hepatitis C virus is quietly damaging the liver.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), like HAV, is primarily transmitted through contaminated food and water. In recent years, the prevalence of hepatitis E has been rising worldwide. HEV infection generally presents acutely, and the vast majority of patients recover after treatment. Some immunocompromised individuals, such as those with blood disorders or organ transplant recipients, may develop chronic hepatitis E after infection. Some elderly patients, pregnant women, or those with underlying liver disease face a risk of liver failure after HEV infection, which can be life-threatening in severe cases.

Whether hepatitis is contagious depends mainly on its cause, with viral hepatitis being highly contagious. HAV and HEV are transmitted primarily through the digestive tract, while HBV and HCV are transmitted through blood, mother-to-child, and sexual contact. HDV can only establish infection when HBV is already present or enters the liver simultaneously. Hepatitis B and C are the leading causes of chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

04 Prevention and Treatment of Hepatitis

1. Prevent Infection and Strengthen Screening

• Hepatitis A and E: Develop good hygiene habits; strengthen drinking water and food safety; get vaccinated.

• Hepatitis B, C, and D: Stay away from drugs, use blood and blood products legally; children and high-risk adults should be vaccinated according to immunization schedules; high-risk groups should strengthen proactive screening.

High-risk groups include those with risk of sexual exposure, occupational exposure, skin or mucous membrane exposure to blood, risk of mother-to-child transmission, and family members of chronic hepatitis B patients.

2. Early and Standardized Antiviral Treatment

If infected, promptly seek antiviral treatment at a medical institution, following medical advice, cooperating with treatment, and undergoing regular check-ups. While it is difficult to completely eliminate the hepatitis B virus from the body, standardized antiviral treatment can minimize HBV-related liver damage.

3. Healthy Lifestyle to Reduce Liver Burden

Daily diet should be low in oil and salt, prioritize fresh vegetables and fruits, and reduce intake of high-fat, high-sugar foods. Balanced nutrition helps reduce liver burden and maintain metabolic function. Additionally, adequate sleep, maintaining a regular, and ensuring 7-8 hours of high-quality sleep daily are crucial for liver self-repair.

05 Conveying Health Hope through Investment Power

As a professional institution focused on biopharmaceutical investment, Efung Capital has always actively positioned itself in innovative enterprises with clinical value, paying close attention to cutting-edge advances in hepatitis prevention and treatment.

Looking ahead, Efung Capital will continue to the biopharmaceutical field, leveraging capital support and industrial collaboration to continuously drive technological innovation in the prevention and treatment of major diseases, including hepatitis. Efung Capital firmly believes that eliminating hepatitis is not only a medical challenge but also a collective practice of caring for life. Let us start with understanding, continue with action, and turn every effort into a glimmer of light illuminating the future, to truly realize the grand vision of "Healthy China 2030."