World Liver Day (WLD) is annually observed across the globe on 19 April to raise awareness about the importance of liver health and to prevent and manage liver diseases.
- WLD aims to encourage a healthier lifestyle, proper diet, regular exercise, and avoiding harmful substances to maintain liver health.
The theme of World Liver Day 2024 is ‘Be Vigilant, Get Regular Liver Check-Ups and Prevent Fatty Liver Diseases.’
Note: The 2024 theme emphasises the urgency for combined action in mitigating the impact of liver diseases, particularly fatty liver diseases, a growing health concern globally.
Global Impact:
i.In 2019, India launched WLD to raise awareness about liver-related diseases. In 2023 the major liver associations expand this initiative worldwide.
ii.Prominent liver health organisations worldwide jointly urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to officially recognise April 19th as World Liver Day.
iii.The collaboration of the organisations are as follows:
- The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL);
- The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL);
- The American Association for the Study of the Liver Diseases (AASLD);
- The Asociacion Latinoamericana para el Estudio del Higado (ALEH); and
- The Society on Liver Disease in Africa (SOLDA)
Liver:
i.The liver is the second largest organ in the human body. It weighs about 1,200–1,500 grams.
ii.It is a critical organ located in the upper right part of the belly (abdomen), beneath the diaphragm, and on top of the stomach, right kidney, and intestines.
iii.It is capable of regenerating itself with just 25% of healthy liver tissue.
iv.The liver performs over 500 vital functions including Metabolism, Immunity, Digestion, Detoxification, and Vitamin storage.
Key Facts:
i.Each year, thousands of people are affected by liver disease. 1.5 billion people live with chronic liver disease, and 2 million lives are lost yearly.
ii.In 2020, 905,700 individuals were diagnosed with liver cancer, and 830,200 lost their lives to this disease.
iii.Liver cancer ranked among the top 3 causes of cancer-related deaths in 46 countries. Without action, cases could rise by 55% from 2020 to 2040.
