Global efforts to combat viral hepatitis are showing measurable progress in reducing infections and deaths, but the disease continues to pose a major public health challenge, according to a new WHO report launched at the World Hepatitis Summit. Hepatitis B and C, which account for 95% of hepatitis-related deaths worldwide, caused about 1.34 million deaths in 2024, while new infections continue at a rate of around 1.8 million annually.
The report highlights important gains since 2015, including a 32% decline in new hepatitis B infections and a 12% reduction in hepatitis C-related deaths. Hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has also fallen significantly to 0.6%, with 85 countries already meeting or exceeding the 2030 target of 0.1%. These improvements reflect sustained global and national efforts following the adoption of WHO elimination targets in 2016.
Despite progress, the WHO warns that current efforts are not fast enough to meet the 2030 elimination goals. Around 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024, with large gaps in diagnosis and treatment. Fewer than 5% of people with hepatitis B are receiving treatment, while only 20% of those with hepatitis C have been treated since effective curative therapies became available in 2015.
The burden of new infections remains unevenly distributed, with the African Region accounting for the majority of new hepatitis B cases, but with low coverage of newborn vaccination. Hepatitis C infections are also driven significantly by unsafe injection practices, particularly among people who inject drugs, highlighting the need for stronger harm reduction services.
Hepatitis-related deaths remain high, with an estimated 1.1 million deaths from hepatitis B and 240,000 from hepatitis C in 2024, mainly due to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. A small number of countries account for a large share of global deaths, underscoring persistent inequalities in prevention and care access.
The report emphasizes that effective tools already exist to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat, including highly effective vaccines, long-term antiviral treatments for hepatitis B, and short-course curative treatment for hepatitis C. However, gaps in access, diagnosis, and service delivery continue to limit their impact.
WHO stresses that accelerating progress will require stronger political commitment, increased financing, expanded vaccination coverage, improved treatment access, and better integration of hepatitis services into primary healthcare systems. It also highlights the importance of prevention measures such as safe injection practices and expanded harm reduction services.
Overall, while global progress is evident, the WHO warns that urgent and coordinated action is needed to close existing gaps and ensure countries remain on track to achieve hepatitis elimination targets by 2030.
