By Ayomide Otitoju
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that global progress in eliminating hepatitis remains too slow, despite the availability of effective tools to combat a disease that kills more than one million people annually.
In its Global Hepatitis Report 2026, the agency said hepatitis B and C, which account for about 95 per cent of hepatitis-related deaths, caused 1.34 million deaths in 2024.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said progress was “too slow and uneven,” noting that millions remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems, and unequal access to care.
The report estimated that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in 2024. It added that fewer than five per cent of people with chronic hepatitis B were receiving treatment, while vaccination coverage in Africa remains low, with only 17 per cent of newborns receiving the birth dose in 2024.
Countries including China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa and Vietnam were listed among the worst affected in terms of hepatitis-related deaths.
WHO officials stressed that every undiagnosed or untreated case represents a preventable death, noting that vaccines and treatments already exist. The hepatitis B vaccine is over 95 per cent effective, while antiviral therapy can manage chronic infections and prevent severe liver disease. Hepatitis C, meanwhile, can be cured in more than 95 per cent of cases with short-course treatment.
The agency cited countries such as the United Kingdom, Egypt, Georgia and Rwanda as examples where elimination efforts have shown progress.
Despite challenges, the report noted some improvement since 2015, with new hepatitis B infections down 32 per cent and hepatitis C-related deaths reduced by 12 per cent. WHO said stronger political commitment and sustained funding are needed to eliminate the disease as a public health threat.
