India's hepatitis 2030 push: free testing, drugs and integrated care under NVHCP
Synopsis
India's NVHCP is quietly becoming one of the most integrated disease-elimination programmes in public health — covering all five hepatitis strains, linking maternal screening to newborn immunisation, and running a paperless monitoring portal. With 2030 as the deadline and one in 118 people carrying hepatitis B, the scale of the challenge is matched only by the ambition of the free-care framework being built around it.
Key Takeaways
India's National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) , launched in 2018 , targets elimination of viral hepatitis by 2030 .
Free diagnostics and drugs are available for hepatitis B and hepatitis C management across the country.
According to 2021 HIV Sentinel Surveillance data, 0.85% tested positive for hepatitis B (1 in 118) and 0.29% for hepatitis C (1 in 345).
All pregnant women are screened for hepatitis B; newborns receive the hepatitis B birth dose within 24 hours under the Universal Immunisation Programme.
A paperless NVHCP-MIS portal tracks patient management; a toll-free helpline 1800-11-6666 provides public information.
India is scaling up its fight against viral hepatitis ahead of its 2030 target, with the government expanding free screening, diagnostics, and treatment through the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP), according to an official statement released on Monday, 27 July. The drive aims to systematically dismantle healthcare access barriers for millions of Indians living with or at risk of hepatitis.
What the NVHCP Covers
Launched in 2018, the NVHCP addresses all five strains — hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E — and aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat. The programme has been integrated with several other national health schemes to ensure a continuum of care, from prevention through to treatment.
According to the government statement, 'The key strategies adopted under the NVHCP include preventive, promotive and curative interventions with the focus on awareness generation, increasing access, providing diagnosis and treatment for viral hepatitis to all in need.' Free drugs and diagnostics are being made available to all eligible citizens, particularly for hepatitis B and hepatitis C management.
Scale of the Problem: What the Data Shows
Citing 2021 HIV Sentinel Surveillance data, the government noted that approximately 0.85 per cent of individuals tested positive for hepatitis B — roughly one in every 118 people — while 0.29 per cent tested positive for hepatitis C, or about one in 345 people. Hepatitis A and E, which tend to be acute and outbreak-prone, are monitored separately under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).
Maternal and Newborn Protections
A significant component of the programme targets mother-to-child transmission. The government supports universal screening of pregnant women for hepatitis B under its reproductive and maternal health initiatives. To achieve 100 per cent hepatitis B birth dose coverage, the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) mandates administration of the vaccine within 24 hours of birth. Newborns of hepatitis B-positive mothers also receive Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) as an additional protective measure.
Digital Infrastructure and Helpline
The NVHCP operates a paperless NVHCP-MIS portal for patient management and real-time monitoring across service delivery sites nationwide. Citizens can access information on prevention, transmission, and treatment facilities through a dedicated toll-free helpline — 1800-11-6666 — shared with the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP). This integration reflects the government's broader push toward unified, multi-disease health infrastructure.
What Comes Next
With 2030 as the deadline, the pace of integration with allied programmes and the reach of free diagnostics will be critical benchmarks. Health officials have not yet specified targets for screening volumes or treatment coverage rates, but the expansion of digital monitoring through the MIS portal is expected to improve data quality for future policy decisions.
Point of View
Maternal screening, birth-dose mandates, and a digital monitoring portal are the right building blocks. But the government has not published coverage rates or treatment completion data, making it impossible to assess whether the programme is on track to meet its 2030 target. The sentinel surveillance figures cited are from 2021; four years is a long gap in a disease-elimination timeline. The real accountability test is whether the MIS portal data will be made public, and whether screening volumes in high-burden states are keeping pace with the ambition of the programme's design.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP)?
The NVHCP is a government programme launched in 2018 to screen, diagnose, and treat all five forms of viral hepatitis — A, B, C, D, and E — with free drugs and diagnostics, in line with India's 2030 elimination target under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Who is eligible for free hepatitis treatment under the NVHCP?
All citizens in need are eligible for free diagnostics and drugs under the NVHCP, particularly for hepatitis B and C. Pregnant women receive universal screening for hepatitis B, and newborns of positive mothers receive Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG).
How common is hepatitis B and C in India?
According to 2021 HIV Sentinel Surveillance data cited by the government, approximately 0.85% of people tested positive for hepatitis B (about one in 118) and 0.29% for hepatitis C (about one in 345).
How does the NVHCP protect newborns from hepatitis B?
The programme mandates a hepatitis B birth dose within 24 hours of birth under the Universal Immunisation Programme. Newborns of hepatitis B-positive mothers also receive Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) for additional protection against mother-to-child transmission.
How can citizens access NVHCP services or information?
Citizens can call the toll-free helpline 1800-11-6666, shared with the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, for information on prevention, transmission, and nearby service delivery sites. A paperless NVHCP-MIS portal manages patient records and programme monitoring.
