Hong Kong will launch a hepatitis B screening programme on February 7, with the aim of reaching around 300,000 people linked to known carriers of the virus and reducing their risk of getting cirrhosis, liver cancer or other serious complications.

According to government data, around 410,000 people in Hong Kong are believed to be living with chronic hepatitis B. Of these, 40 percent remain undiagnosed and 70 percent are not receiving appropriate follow-up care.

The new scheme will expand the existing Chronic Disease Co-Care Programme which helps identify and manage the “three highs” – high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol.

The new screening is aimed at relatives or sexual partners of people with hepatitis B but who have no known history of being infected themselves. They must also have been born before 1988 and did not receive the universal hepatitis B vaccination as an infant.

Eligible residents can undergo a free rapid diagnostic test.

If the result is positive, a family doctor will arrange two additional blood tests over the next six months to confirm the infection.

Patients will be charged a total of HK$180 for the two tests.

If chronic hepatitis B is confirmed, patients will be entitled to up to four subsidised consultations per year.

Dr Yuen Man-fung from the department of medicine at the University of Hong Kong said consistent monitoring and treatment for hepatitis B can reduce the risk of developing liver cancer by 30 to 60 percent.

Commissioner for Primary Healthcare Dr Pang Fei-chau said the programme aims to strengthen early detection and enhance protection for high-risk individuals.

“Based on previous data, 300,000 people will be eligible for this programme. And among those people, we estimate that 7.8 percent of them will be positive,” he said.

It is estimated that 10 percent of those eligible will participate in the programme in the first year. Pang said the scheme could be expanded in future.