500,000 Chinese die of hepatitis B annually

China has the world's largest population of hepatitis B patients, says an official of the Chinese Hepatitis Prevention Foundation.

China has the world's largest population of hepatitis B patients, says an official of the Chinese Hepatitis Prevention Foundation (HPF) in Beijing.

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Nearly 500,000 people die of liver damage and hepatocirrhosis triggered by chronic hepatitis B, said HPF head Wang Zhao.

He says about 120 million Chinese test positive to hepatitis, which has become a severe public health problem in the country.

HPF and Novartis pharmaceutical company are working together to push forward an awareness project on hepatitis prevention, including 120 lectures in major cities.