, July 28 -- An estimated 61 million people live with hepatitis B, and 9 million with hepatitis C across the South-East Asia region, said the World Health Organization (WHO), stressing that progress is possible.

"Our Region bears one of the highest burdens of chronic viral hepatitis globally, yet most people living with the disease remain undiagnosed and untreated," said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia, in an article marking the World Hepatitis Day on Monday.

WHO's South-East Asia Region comprises the following 10 Member States: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

Every year, over 260 000 lives are lost, many due to ...