The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that Nigeria and nine other countries account for 69 percent of global hepatitis B-related deaths in 2024. The latest data reveals that viral hepatitis B and C, responsible for about 95 percent of hepatitis-related fatalities worldwide, claimed 1.34 million lives last year.
Global burden and transmission
Transmission persists at an alarming rate, with over 4,900 new infections daily, translating to approximately 1.8 million annually. The 10 countries accounting for the majority of hepatitis B deaths include Nigeria, Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Africa, and Viet Nam. For hepatitis C, the burden is more geographically dispersed, with 10 countries accounting for 58 percent of deaths: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, South Africa, the United States, and Viet Nam.
Chronic infections and new cases
WHO estimates indicate that about 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infections in 2024. That year, 0.9 million people were newly infected with hepatitis B, with the African region accounting for 68 percent of new cases. However, only 17 percent of newborns in the region received the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine. A further 0.9 million hepatitis C infections were recorded in 2024, with people who inject drugs accounting for 44 percent of new cases, highlighting the urgent need for expanded harm-reduction services and safer injection practices.
Treatment gaps and deaths
Of the 240 million people living with chronic hepatitis B in 2024, fewer than five percent were receiving treatment. Similarly, only about 20 percent of people with hepatitis C have been treated since 2015, when a 12-week curative therapy with a success rate of about 95 percent became widely available. As a result, an estimated 1.1 million people died from hepatitis B and 240,000 from hepatitis C in 2024. Liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma remain the leading causes of hepatitis-related deaths, with a significant proportion occurring in Africa and the Western Pacific.
Progress and challenges
Despite these challenges, the report highlighted progress in countries such as Egypt, Georgia, Rwanda, and the United Kingdom, demonstrating that elimination of hepatitis as a public health threat is achievable with sustained commitment and investment. The 2026 global hepatitis report recorded notable gains since 2015, with new hepatitis B infections declining by 32 percent and hepatitis C-related deaths falling by 12 percent globally. Hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has dropped to 0.6 percent, with 85 countries achieving or surpassing the 2030 target of 0.1 percent.
WHO Director-General's comments
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said while countries are demonstrating that elimination is possible, significant gaps remain. "At the same time, this report shows that progress is too slow and uneven. Many people remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems, and inequitable access to care. While we have the tools to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat, urgent scale-up of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment is needed if the world is to meet the 2030 targets," he stated.
Available tools and priority actions
WHO noted that highly effective tools already exist, including vaccines that protect more than 95 percent of recipients against hepatitis B, long-term antiviral therapies to manage chronic infections, and short-course treatments lasting 8–12 weeks that can cure over 95 percent of hepatitis C cases. Director of WHO's Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, Tereza Kasaeva, stressed the urgency of expanding access to care. "The data shows that progress is possible, but also reveals where we are falling short. Every missed diagnosis and untreated infection due to chronic viral hepatitis represents a preventable death," she said.
The report identified priority actions to accelerate elimination, including scaling up treatment for chronic hepatitis B, particularly in Africa and the Western Pacific, expanding access to hepatitis C treatment, and strengthening political commitment and financing. It also called for improved hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination coverage, expanded antiviral prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission, and enhanced injection safety in healthcare and community settings, especially through stronger harm-reduction services.
