It highlights the significant progress made in the fight against hepatitis B and C, which together account for 95 percent of all hepatitis-related deaths worldwide.
These infections claimed 1.34 million lives in 2024. Meanwhile, transmission continues at a rate of about 1.8 million infections a year, or more than 4,900 cases each day.
Viral infections
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver. It can be transmitted through contact with infected body fluids, such as blood, saliva, vaginal fluids, and semen, or passed from mother to baby.
The disease can be acute or chronic, and chronic infection increases the risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus of the same name. Transmission is transmitted through exposure to infected blood from unsafe injections, such as sharing needles and syringes or untested blood transfusions.
A decade of achievements
The World Hepatitis Report 2026 documents progress since 2015. For example, new hepatitis B infections have decreased by 32 percent, while hepatitis C-related deaths have decreased by 12 percent.
The prevalence of hepatitis B among children under five has also fallen to 0.6 percent, with 85 countries meeting or exceeding the 2030 target of reducing prevalence to 0.1 percent.
Although these advances reflect sustained and coordinated international action towards the viral hepatitis elimination goals adopted at the 2016 World Health Assembly, current rates are insufficient to meet all elimination targets by 2030.
An urgent expansion is needed
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said countries have shown that “Eliminating hepatitis is not a pipe dream,” but efforts must be accelerated.
“Many people remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems and unequal access to care,” she said.
“While we have the tools to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat, prevention, diagnosis and treatment urgently need to be scaled up if the world is to meet the goals by 2030.”
Prevention of hepatitis B infection through vaccination in childhood substantially reduces chronic infections and cases of liver cancer and cirrhosis in adulthood.
Millions of people affected
The report estimates that 287 million people (about 3 percent of the world’s population) were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in 2024..
Although the WHO African Region accounted for 68 percent of new hepatitis B infections, only 17 percent of newborns received a dose of the vaccine at birth.
Regarding hepatitis C, people who inject drugs accounted for 44 percent of new infections, underscoring the need for stronger harm reduction services and safe injection practices.
Limited access to treatment.
Access to treatment also remains limited. Although 240 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B in 2024, less than five percent were receiving treatment.
Additionally, only 20 percent of people with hepatitis C have received treatment since a new effective treatment became available in 2015.
Limited access to prevention and care continues to drive mortality. In 2024, approximately 1.1 million people died from hepatitis B and 240,000 from hepatitis C, mainly due to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Ten countries in Asia and Africa (Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa and Vietnam) accounted for nearly 70 percent of hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide that year.
Hepatitis C-related deaths are more geographically dispersed. In 2024, ten countries accounted for 58 percent of global cases: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, the United States and Vietnam.
A hepatitis C test is being prepared for a client of the Ozone Foundation in Bangkok, Thailand. (archive)
There are proven solutions
Despite these challenges, the WHO highlighted the highly effective tools already available in the fight against the disease.
He hepatitis B vaccineIt is more than 95 percent effective against acute and chronic infections, while long-term antiviral treatment can help control chronic infection and prevent serious liver disease.
At the same time, short-term therapy for hepatitis C which lasts 8 to 12 weeks, can cure more than 95 percent of cases.
‘Progress is possible’
Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of the Department of HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections at WHO, highlighted the need to improve access to care.
“The data shows that progress is possible, but it also reveals where we are falling short . “Every missed diagnosis and every untreated infection due to chronic viral hepatitis represents an avoidable death,” he said.
“Countries must act faster to integrate hepatitis services for people living with hepatitis B and C into primary care and reach the most affected communities.”
Priority actions
The report identifies priority actions to accelerate progress, including scaling up treatment for chronic hepatitis B infection, particularly in the WHO Africa and Western Pacific regions, and expanding access to hepatitis C treatment in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
also asks Stronger political commitment and increased funding to expand accessto the hepatitis B vaccine at birth and to medications to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
The report also emphasizes the need to improve injection safety both inside and outside of healthcare settings, including by strengthening harm reduction services for injecting drug users.
