Global Fight Against Hepatitis Shows Progress, But Falls Short of 2030 Elimination Targets: WHO Report.
Geneva:
Global efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis are yielding measurable progress in reducing infections and deaths, but the pace remains insufficient to meet the 2030 elimination targets, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization at the World Hepatitis Summit.
The report highlights that viral hepatitis—particularly Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C—continues to pose a major global health burden. Together, these two infections account for 95% of hepatitis-related deaths and claimed approximately 1.34 million lives in 2024 alone.
Progress Achieved, But Challenges Persist
According to the 2026 Global Hepatitis Report, significant gains have been made since 2015. New hepatitis B infections have declined by 32%, while deaths related to hepatitis C have dropped by 12%. Additionally, hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has fallen to 0.6%, with 85 countries meeting or surpassing the 2030 target of 0.1%.
These improvements follow global commitments made at the World Health Assembly in 2016, where member states adopted hepatitis elimination targets.
However, despite this progress, transmission remains high, with more than 4,900 new infections occurring daily—equivalent to 1.8 million new cases annually.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, emphasized that while eliminating hepatitis is achievable, progress remains uneven and too slow. He pointed out that millions remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak healthcare systems, and unequal access to care.
Global Burden and Treatment Gaps
The report estimates that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infections in 2024. Of these, around 240 million had chronic hepatitis B, yet fewer than 5% were receiving treatment.
The situation is similarly concerning for hepatitis C. Although highly effective treatments with cure rates of over 95% have been available since 2015, only 20% of infected individuals have received treatment.
In 2024 alone:
Around 0.9 million new hepatitis B infections were recorded, with 68% occurring in the WHO African Region.
Only 17% of newborns in this region received the crucial birth-dose vaccination.
Another 0.9 million new hepatitis C infections were reported, with 44% linked to unsafe injection practices, particularly among people who inject drugs.
Due to gaps in prevention and treatment, hepatitis B caused an estimated 1.1 million deaths, while hepatitis C accounted for 240,000 deaths in 2024. Most fatalities were due to complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Countries including India, China, Nigeria, Indonesia, and others account for a significant share of global hepatitis-related deaths.
Proven Solutions Offer Hope
Despite the challenges, the report underscores that hepatitis elimination is achievable. Countries like Egypt, Georgia, Rwanda, and the United Kingdom have demonstrated success through sustained investment and strong public health strategies.
Effective tools already exist:
The hepatitis B vaccine offers over 95% protection.
Long-term antiviral therapy helps manage chronic hepatitis B.
Short-course treatments for hepatitis C can cure more than 95% of cases within 8–12 weeks.
Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs, stressed that every missed diagnosis represents a preventable death. She called for integrating hepatitis services into primary healthcare systems and expanding access to testing and treatment.
Urgent Call for Accelerated Action
The WHO report calls for immediate action to scale up prevention, testing, and treatment efforts worldwide. Key priorities include improving vaccination coverage—especially the birth-dose vaccine—expanding antiviral treatment, ensuring safe injection practices, and strengthening harm reduction services.
It also emphasizes the need for stronger political commitment, increased funding, and targeted interventions in the most affected regions, particularly Africa and the Western Pacific.
While progress offers hope, health experts warn that without urgent acceleration of global efforts, the goal of eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030 may remain out of reach.
