WHO Warns Hepatitis Elimination Goal at Risk as Deaths Hit 1.34 Million Despite Global Progress

According to its most recent report, the World Health Organization claims that although global progress against viral hepatitis is increasing, it is still insufficient to meet the 2030 elimination targets.

This was disclosed by the organization in its Global Hepatitis Report 2026, which was presented at the World Hepatitis Summit on Tuesday.

According to the analysis, 1.34 million deaths worldwide in 2024 were caused by the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses, which account for 95% of hepatitis-related mortality.

According to the report, 240,000 deaths were caused by HCV infections, primarily from malignancy and liver cirrhosis, and 1.1 million deaths were associated with HBV.

The research states that around 1.8 million new infections were reported in 2024, including 900,000 cases each of HBV and HCV.

It further stated that as of 2024, there were over 287 million chronic hepatitis infections worldwide.

The research noted a 32% decrease in new hepatitis B infections since 2015 as a result of better immunization and preventative measures.

Additionally, a 12% decrease in HCV-related mortality was recorded, which was attributed to the availability of efficient antiviral therapy.

According to the report, the percentage of children under five who had chronic HBV decreased from 0.8% in 2015 to 0.6% in 2024.

It also reported a 20% decrease in the number of HCV-positive individuals, which was ascribed to increased curative treatment initiatives.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, stated that hepatitis may be eradicated given sufficient resources and persistent political resolve.

The research cautioned that the 2030 targets cannot be met with the current level of advancement.

According to the report, new HCV infections decreased by just 8% between 2015 and 2024—much less than the 80% reduction goal.

It also stated that gaps in diagnosis and treatment caused a 17% rise in HBV-related fatalities during that time.

The report emphasized that rapid development of testing and treatment services will be necessary to achieve a 65% decrease in hepatitis-related fatalities by 2030.

Key issues were noted, such as restricted access to testing, treatment, and vaccinations, especially in high-risk areas.