Currently, the incidence of hepatitis B is on the rise among the wealthy in China. Nearly 1 in 10 people in China are infected with the hepatitis B virus.
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(Image: moh.gov.vn) |
Doctors attribute the high rate of hepatitis B infection to increased consumption of alcoholic beverages and animal fats. This has led to hepatitis B being referred to as the “rich man’s disease” in China, according to Professor Fan Jiangao. Dr. Yang Binghui believes that while wealth is not necessarily the cause, there is a lack of knowledge about healthy living.
It is estimated that around 120 million people in China are infected with the hepatitis B virus, accounting for more than half of the total cases worldwide.
Last weekend, the Chinese Ministry of Health announced that it would conduct a nationwide investigation into the hepatitis B infection situation. Currently, controlling hepatitis B is one of the top priorities for the Ministry of Health in its infectious disease control program.
Hepatitis B poses a significant financial burden on the families of affected patients. According to research from the Shanghai Institute of Infectious Diseases, the average treatment cost for a patient with chronic hepatitis B is approximately 20,477 CNY (nearly 2,600 USD) per year, and costs will be much higher if the patient progresses to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Each year, the total cost of hepatitis B treatment in China reaches up to 900 billion CNY (approximately 112.5 billion USD).
Minh Thuong
