Viral Hepatitis in Nepal: Past, Present, and Future

Over the last four decades, the diagnosis and therapy of viral hepatitis has evolved substantially all over the world. Although Nepal is a developing nation, it has been keeping pace with these developments in terms of the implementation of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. However, because of a lack of infrastructure and logistics, Nepal still depends on its neighboring countries for molecular diagnostics in viral hepatitis B and C. Though most of the recent antivirals for hepatitis B and directly acting antivirals for hepatitis C are available at a highly subsidized cost, affordability still remains an issue. A lack of comprehensive national program for hepatitis B and C has been a major barrier for access to health care in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Similarly, hepatitis E still remains an important public health issue with major epidemics at periodic intervals. Recent developments in understanding hepatitis E virus have unveiled important aspects of the virus, particularly with regard to why these epidemics occur. In this manuscript we try to elaborate the evolution in understanding, diagnosing, and treating viral hepatitis in Nepal. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Shrestha A. Viral Hepatitis in Nepal: Past, Present, and Future. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2016;6(1):59-61.