World Hepatitis Day 2025
The World Health Organization has marked 28 July as “World Hepatitis Day” to promote and raise public awareness on hepatitis. This year the Department of Health (DH) adopts “1 in 20: Test and Manage Hep B Early” as the theme to raise public awareness about hepatitis B testing and management, and reminds family members and sexual partners of people with chronic hepatitis B to get tested early and learn about their own infection and immune status. Individuals with chronic hepatitis B should seek medical attention as soon as possible and follow doctor’s instruction to receive antiviral treatment and regular follow-up.
As derived from the results of Population Health Survey 2020-2022 conducted by the DH, there are about 410,000 people with chronic hepatitis B in Hong Kong, accounting for approximately 5.6% of the population—that is, roughly one in every twenty people has chronic hepatitis B. Among them, nearly 40% are unaware of their infection, and up to 70% have not received any medical follow-up for their liver condition.
People with chronic hepatitis B often remain asymptomatic for decades, until signs and symptoms develop secondary to serious liver damage, cirrhosis or even liver cancer. Early identification and management for chronic hepatitis B is important to prevent hepatitis B-related complications.
For related health educational materials, please click the links below:
- “1 in 20: Test and Manage Hep B Early” Infographic (only Chinese version available)
- “What you need to know about hepatitis B” pamphlet
- “Healthy Living with Chronic Hepatitis B” pamphlet
- “Hepatitis B vaccine” pamphlet
- “Hepatitis B can cause cancer Get tested and treated early” poster
- Thematic page of “Hepatitis B”
- Video series of “Viral Hepatitis” on YouTube Channel of Centre for Health Protection
Health promotion events with District Health Centres and Expresses
Between June and August, Viral Hepatitis Control Office (VHCO), the DH collaborates with District Health Centre (DHC) and District Health Centre Express (DHCE) to conduct a series of health promotion events, which aim to raise public awareness on hepatitis B. These include public health talks, covering information on hepatitis B and promoting the importance of hepatitis B testing and regular medical follow-up, and exhibitions on “Hepatitis B virus infection”. Interactive health promotion booths are also held to educate the public about the transmission routes and management of hepatitis B. For details of the health promotion events, please refer to the table below:
| Date | Activities | Co-organisers |
|---|---|---|
| 3 July | Public health talk | Sai Kung DHCE |
| 10-11 July | Health promotion booth | Tuen Mun DHC |
| 12 July | Health promotion exhibition | The Hong Kong Liver Transplant Patients' Association and Sham Shui Po DHC |
| 18 July | Public health talk | Tuen Mun DHC |
| 19 July | Health promotion exhibition | The Hong Kong Liver Transplant Patients' Association and Kwun Tong DHCE |
| 22 July | Public health talk | Yau Tsim Mong DHCE |
| 31 July | Public health talk | Sai Kung DHCE |
| 27 August | Public health talk | Kowloon City DHCE |
For health education materials for the general public, please click here for details (Health talk materials and exhibition materials).
“翡翠絲帶擊退乙肝2025” Health promotion activity
The Viral Hepatitis Control Office of the Department of Health held a health promotion booth in the health promotion activity on hepatitis B organised by Hong Kong Hep B Free Foundation on 27 July 2025. It aimed to raise public awareness on hepatitis B through interactive booth game, which introduced the transmission routes of hepatitis B virus and promoted the importance of hepatitis B testing and medical follow-up.
Health talk on “Prevalence of Viral Hepatitis in Hong Kong”
Medical officer from Special Preventive Programme of the DH delivered a health talk in the “Sex with 1069 Conference” organised by a non-governmental organisation, Gay Harmony, on 28 July 2025, sharing information on the prevalence of Viral Hepatitis in Hong Kong.
Other information
- Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2020-2024
- Press Release
- Facebook posts of Centre for Health Protection
- RTHK Healthpedia Radio Interview (only Chinese version available)
- Ming Pao Column on hepatitis B (only Chinese version available)
- Thematic page of “World Hepatitis Day” by WHO
- iContinuing education (iCE) and training materials for health professionals
