WHO Report Finds Progress on Hepatitis Falling Short of 2030 Goals

Overview

• WHO’s 2026 Global hepatitis report says hepatitis B and C caused 1.34 million deaths in 2024 and continue to infect about 1.8 million people each year.
• Updated estimates put 287 million people living with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024 worldwide.
• Since 2015, new hepatitis B infections fell 32% and hepatitis C deaths dropped 12%, and hepatitis B in children under five fell to 0.6% with 85 countries hitting the 0.1% target.
• Care gaps remain stark, with fewer than 5% of people with chronic hepatitis B on treatment and only 20% of people with hepatitis C treated since 2015.
• The report calls for rapid scale-up of birth-dose vaccination, mother-to-child prevention, testing, treatment, and harm reduction, noting Africa’s 17% birth-dose coverage and its 68% share of new hepatitis B infections.