The Ministry of Health announced that the number of detected hepatitis C cases in Russia has increased over the past three years due to improved diagnostics. Vladimir Chulanov, the Ministry`s chief specialist for infectious diseases, stated on July 28 that 51,000 new cases were registered in 2024. Most of these represent long-standing or newly discovered infections, primarily in patients over 40.
Rospotrebnadzor also released data indicating a significant decrease in hepatitis B incidence. Since 2006, following mass vaccination, acute hepatitis B cases have dropped by 16.5 times, and chronic cases by 30%. Among children under 17, acute hepatitis B has been virtually eliminated. The agency also reported an annual increase in the number of people screened for hepatitis C, reaching 24.8 million in 2024.
Yury Lobzin, President of the Children`s Scientific and Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases of the FMBA of Russia, stated that the incidence of chronic viral hepatitis among children has halved in recent years, reaching 0.9 cases per 100,000 children in 2024. This marks the lowest figure on record for the entire observation period.
In 2024, 668 children received hepatitis C treatment, with another 233 children treated in the first half of 2025. Nikita Kovalenko from the «Together Against Hepatitis» organization highlighted that treatment coverage doubles annually, with 66,000 patients receiving therapy in 2024. This progress is attributed to the reduced cost of medications due to domestic production in Russia. Konstantin Glebov, head of the «Fight Against Hepatitis C» federal project, explained that while a full course cost 450,000 rubles in 2023, pangenotypic treatment now costs 234,000 rubles. Genotype-specific treatment is 146,000 rubles for a three-month course, or approximately 100,000 rubles for a two-month course.
