Care Health Insurance Urges Early Hepatitis Screening

New Delhi, July 28, 2026: 

Viral hepatitis continues to be one of the leading causes of liver diseases and preventable deaths globally, with India accounting for a significant share of the disease burden. Ahead of World Hepatitis Day, Care Health Insurance has issued a public advisory urging individuals to prioritise hepatitis screening, vaccination and timely medical intervention. Often called a ‘silent disease’, viral hepatitis can progress for years without noticeable symptoms and is often detected only after irreversible liver damage has occurred. By the time patients seek medical attention, the infection may have advanced to cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer, making treatment significantly more complex, prolonged and expensive.

Early screening and timely intervention are therefore critical to preventing severe complications and improving health outcomes. According to recent national and global health assessments, as well as Care Health Insurance's claims observations India carries one of the world's highest hepatitis burdens, with an estimated 2.9 crore people living with hepatitis B and 0.55 crore with hepatitis C, amounting to nearly 3.5 crore people living with chronic viral hepatitis. 

Viral hepatitis claims approximately 1.23 lakh lives every year in India, with the country ranking among the nations accounting for the largest share of global hepatitis B and C deaths. While hepatitis screening is available free of cost under the Government of India's National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP), advanced liver disease can require expensive interventions. A liver transplant at a private hospital typically costs ₹18–35 lakh, followed by lifelong medication expenses.Care Health Insurance's claims observations show that liver disease claims have doubled over the past three years, while treatment costs have risen by nearly 100% during the same period. The insurer has also observed a 5–10% annual increase in claims among younger individuals, a 10–15% annual rise in claims from Tier II and Tier III cities, and a nearly 10% year-on-year increase among women.