Hepatitis Australia has called for "immediate action" to prevent the spread of new infections of hepatitis B and C, which causes life threatening liver diseases.

"It is to the nation's shame that hepatitis-related liver disease now claims 1,000 lives a year," said Helen Tyrell, group CEO, at the Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference in Alice Springs.

Tyrell remarked that Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) claimed 738 lives in Australia nearly 20 years ago, and a quick action by the government curbed it. Similar effort needed to be made to control the spread of hepatitis infections as "we don't have the luxury of time," said Tyrell.

Sky News reports Tyrell saying at the conference that the progress was slow, considering that the 4-year target to achieve the goal would end in 2016. The aim, as set by the 4-year target involved improving diagnosis and bolsters treatment numbers and reducing rates of infection.

Tyrell feels that even though there is awareness of what needs to be done to accomplish the goal, the country will not be able to reach that without funding support and policy change. She also pointed out that little is being done to screen the required communities or to bring in new medicines for the treatment of hepatitis. She also added that free hepatitis B vaccinations for adults who are at high-risk is not being monitored well either.

What is hepatitis and what does hepatitis virus B and C do?

According to WHO, Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, can lead or progress to liver cancer, fibrosis (scarring) or cirrhosis. While hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the globe, autoimmune diseases, other infections, alcohol and certain drugs can also cause hepatitis.

Though there are five main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E; it is types B and C that poses the biggest threat since they are responsible for deadly ailments in millions of people across the world and also causes cancer and liver cirrhosis. While hepatitis A and E are caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water, hepatitis B, C and D is a result of coming into contact with infected body fluids.