With an estimated 40 million Indians living with chronic hepatitis B and another 6–12 million affected by hepatitis C, it continues to be one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease and liver cancer globally, yet millions remain unaware until the disease has progressed significantly. Beyond vaccines, antivirals and conventional treatment, homeopathy has been playing a big role in the cure and management of hepatitis and other chronic liver disorders.
On World Hepatitis Day today, Dr Kushal Banerjee, senior consultant homeopath and director of clinical practice at Dr Kalyan Banerjee Clinic, said hepatitis often remains undetected for years because many patients do not develop symptoms until the disease has reached an advanced stage.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 304 million people worldwide were living with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2022, while 1.3 million people die every year from hepatitis-related illnesses, making it one of the world’s leading infectious killers. Despite the availability of vaccines for hepatitis A and B and curative treatment for hepatitis C, millions continue to remain undiagnosed or untreated.
This year’s WHO theme, “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down”, calls for removing barriers to testing, vaccination, treatment and quality care while encouraging people to seek diagnosis before permanent liver damage occurs.
Dr Banerjee said one of the biggest challenges in treating hepatitis is late diagnosis: “One of the greatest challenges with hepatitis is that it often progresses silently, with many individuals remaining undiagnosed until significant liver damage has already occurred. Early screening, timely diagnosis and evidence-based medical treatment remain the cornerstone of managing viral and other forms of hepatitis and preventing serious complications. Early detection results in the avoidance of hepatotoxic drug consumption, which can be catastrophic for these patients.”
While emphasising the importance of early diagnosis and evidence-based medical management, Dr Banerjee said his clinic adopts a protocol-based homeopathic approach for patients suffering from a wide range of liver disorders.
“At our Clinic, we manage patients across a broad spectrum of liver disorders, ranging from acute viral hepatitis and drug-induced liver injury to fatty liver disease, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and other complex liver conditions. Homeopathic treatment is protocol-based and specific to the conditions identified to support overall health, symptom management and recovery where appropriate.”
He said treatment at the clinic extends beyond prescribing medicines and focuses on improving overall liver health through an individualised care plan. According to Dr Banerjee, dietary counselling and lifestyle modification are integral components of long-term liver management, particularly for patients suffering from fatty liver disease, alcohol-related liver disease and chronic liver disorders.
“Successful liver care extends beyond medication. Individualised dietary counselling and healthy lifestyle modifications are vital, especially for people with fatty liver disease, alcohol-related liver disease and chronic liver disorders. Avoiding alcohol where advised, maintaining a healthy weight, consuming a balanced diet, exercising regularly and managing stress can significantly contribute to better liver health. The avoidance of common conventional medicines which are toxic for the liver in these patients is critical to lowering morbidity and mortality.”
He also recommended that people with recognised risk factors, including diabetes, obesity, chronic viral hepatitis, excessive alcohol consumption and a family history of liver disease, should undergo regular, though not excessive, liver function assessments to enable timely intervention if abnormalities are detected.
Dr Banerjee added that World Hepatitis Day should serve as a reminder that prevention, early detection, timely medical treatment and patient-centred holistic care together offer the best opportunity to protect liver health, reduce complications and improve the quality of life of people living with liver disease.
