WHO’s 2026 Hepatitis Report: 1.34 Million Deaths a Year — and the World Is Still Too Slow

Every day, viral hepatitis kills more than 3,600 people worldwide — yet most of them never knew they were infected. On 28 April 2026, the World Health Organization released its landmark Global Hepatitis Report 2026 at the World Hepatitis Summit in Bangkok, confirming that hepatitis B and C together claimed 1.34 million lives in 2024 alone. That is more deaths than HIV in the same year. Despite the fact that effective vaccines and curative treatments exist, the world is still far too slow to act.

The report delivers a stark message: progress is real, but nowhere near fast enough. New infections continue at a rate of more than 4,900 per day — nearly 1.8 million every year — and 287 million people are estimated to be living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection globally. With the 2030 elimination targets now just four years away, the gap between what is scientifically possible and what is actually being delivered has never been more visible.

What Are Hepatitis B and C?

Viral hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver caused by one of five hepatitis viruses — A, B, C, D, or E. Of these, hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) are responsible for the overwhelming majority of the global disease burden, accounting for more than 95% of all hepatitis-related deaths. Both can progress silently over decades, causing chronic liver damage, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) before symptoms ever appear — which is precisely why they are so deadly.

Hepatitis B spreads through contact with infected blood, sexual contact, and — critically — from mother to child during childbirth. Hepatitis C spreads primarily through blood-to-blood contact, most commonly through unsafe injections, unscreened blood transfusions, and the reuse of medical equipment. Both infections are preventable and, today, both are treatable.

The Global Burden: A Disease That Kills Quietly

According to the WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026, an estimated 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in 2024. The numbers from peer-reviewed research are equally sobering. A comprehensive global analysis by Cui et al., published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology in March 2026, found that in 2022 alone, 254 million people were living with chronic HBV and 50 million with HCV. Crucially, that analysis found that deaths from hepatitis B in 2022 exceeded deaths from tuberculosis — a sobering comparison that underscores just how underrecognised this epidemic remains.

The burden is not evenly distributed. Five countries — China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Pakistan — account for 55% of the combined global burden of HBV and HCV infection, according to Cui et al. The WHO African Region bears a disproportionate share of new infections: 68% of all new hepatitis B infections worldwide occur in Africa, yet only 17% of newborns in the region receive the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination that could prevent transmission from mother to child.

Who Is Most at Risk?

• Infants born to HBV-positive mothers — without a birth-dose vaccine, up to 90% of exposed infants develop chronic infection.
• People who inject drugs — shared needles are a major transmission route for both HBV and HCV worldwide.
• Recipients of unscreened blood transfusions — particularly in settings with weak health system infrastructure.
• Healthcare workers — occupational needle-stick injuries remain a significant risk in under-resourced facilities.
• Communities with low vaccination coverage — especially in sub-Saharan Africa, parts of South and Southeast Asia.

Why Are People Still Dying? The Diagnosis and Treatment Gap

The most alarming finding in the 2026 WHO report is not the death toll itself — it is how preventable those deaths are. According to Cui et al. (Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2026), of the 254 million people living with chronic HBV globally in 2022, only 34.1 million had been diagnosed, and of those, only 6.6 million were receiving antiviral treatment. For hepatitis C, the numbers are similarly stark: while 12.5 million people received direct-acting antiviral treatment between 2015 and 2022, millions more remain undiagnosed and untreated.

The reasons are well-documented: stigma and discrimination against people living with hepatitis, weak primary health care systems, lack of point-of-care testing, and insufficient political and financial commitment. As Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, stated at the 2026 Summit, every missed diagnosis and untreated infection represents a preventable death.

What the Latest Research Shows: Progress and Warning Signs

The WHO 2026 report is not all bad news. Since 2015, significant gains have been made. New hepatitis B infections have dropped by 32% globally, driven largely by the scale-up of childhood HBV vaccination programmes. Hepatitis C-related deaths have fallen by 12%, reflecting the roll-out of curative direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies. Hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has fallen to 0.6%, with 85 countries already meeting or surpassing the 2030 elimination target for this indicator.

Real-world evidence from Africa shows that treatment can work at scale even in resource-limited settings. A Lancet Global Health cohort study by Rossvoll et al. (2025, PMID: 41109262) followed 6,010 adults with hepatitis B in four public hospitals in Ethiopia using a simplified treatment programme. Of those who completed one year of tenofovir treatment and remained in care, 78.3% achieved virological suppression. The challenge was retention — nearly half were lost to follow-up — highlighting that delivering treatment is only part of the solution. Community engagement, decentralised services, and reducing stigma are equally critical.

However, the Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology analysis by Cui et al. warns that unless services are rapidly scaled up across all regions by the end of 2026, the 2030 global elimination targets will not be met. The gap between what exists and what is being delivered is the defining public health failure of this epidemic.

What Works: Vaccines, Testing, and Curative Therapy

The scientific tools to end hepatitis as a public health threat are well-established. What is needed is political will, financing, and delivery at scale.

• Hepatitis B vaccine: Safe, highly effective, and affordable. The WHO confirms the HBV vaccine protects more than 95% of vaccinated individuals against both acute and chronic infection. A three-dose childhood series plus a birth dose given within 24 hours of delivery is the single most powerful tool to interrupt mother-to-child transmission.
• Hepatitis C curative therapy: Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) such as sofosbuvir-based regimens achieve cure rates above 95% in an 8–12-week course. Generic versions are now available in many low- and middle-income countries at dramatically reduced cost.
• Hepatitis B antiviral treatment: While there is no cure for chronic HBV, long-term antiviral therapy with tenofovir or entecavir effectively suppresses viral replication, prevents liver damage, and dramatically reduces mortality risk.
• Safe injection practices: Scaling up single-use syringes and eliminating the reuse of medical equipment remain critical interventions, particularly in settings where unsafe injections drive transmission.
• Blood safety: Universal screening of blood donations for HBV and HCV is a non-negotiable standard that many countries have not yet fully achieved.

What You Can Do: A Practical Guide

Hepatitis B and C are diseases where individual action and awareness genuinely save lives. Whether or not you live in a high-burden country, the following steps matter.

• Get tested: The vast majority of people with chronic hepatitis B or C do not know they are infected. A simple blood test — testing for HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) and anti-HCV antibodies — can give you a definitive answer. Testing is the gateway to treatment.
• Vaccinate against hepatitis B: If you have not been vaccinated, ask your doctor about the three-dose HBV vaccine series. It is safe, effective, and recommended for all age groups. Ensure all newborns receive the birth dose within 24 hours of delivery.
• Ensure newborns are vaccinated: If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, discuss hepatitis B testing and vaccination with your healthcare provider. Birth-dose vaccination is the most critical preventive measure for infants born to HBV-positive mothers.
• Avoid sharing needles or personal items: Razors, nail clippers, and any equipment that may come into contact with blood should never be shared.
• Practice safe sex: Hepatitis B is transmitted sexually. Condom use reduces risk. Knowing your own and your partner’s hepatitis B status matters.
• If diagnosed, get linked to care: Being diagnosed is not the end — it is the beginning of management. Antiviral treatment for HBV and curative therapy for HCV are available. Do not delay care due to stigma or fear.

The India Context: A Critical Battleground

India carries one of the world’s heaviest hepatitis burdens. According to the WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2024 (the most recent India-specific dataset), India has approximately 29 million individuals living with chronic HBV and an estimated 5.5 million with HCV infection, placing it second globally after China in terms of absolute burden. India is named among the top ten countries for both HBV and HCV-related deaths in the 2026 WHO report.

India’s National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP), launched in 2018, has made important strides, particularly in hepatitis C treatment through its hub-and-spoke model in Punjab. A study by Premkumar et al., published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology in 2025 (PMID: 40611935), reported an overall cure rate of 89.5% in 50,865 HCV patients treated under the NVHCP in Punjab, demonstrating that large-scale hepatitis C elimination is achievable in India when resources and systems are aligned.

Yet critical gaps remain. Hepatitis B testing coverage remains low, and linkage to antiviral therapy is far below what is needed. The NVHCP data report a national HBV prevalence of 0.95%, though this likely underestimates the true burden due to limited surveillance infrastructure. Tribal populations in northeast India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands carry disproportionately high prevalence — a reminder that elimination efforts must reach the most marginalised communities to succeed.

Conclusion: The Science Exists — The Will Must Follow

The 2026 WHO Global Hepatitis Report is both an indictment and a roadmap. It documents a preventable epidemic that is still killing 1.34 million people a year, while simultaneously showing us exactly what works and where investment is needed. Hepatitis B can be prevented with a vaccine that costs less than one US dollar per dose. Hepatitis C can be cured in eight weeks with generic medicines. Yet hundreds of millions remain undiagnosed, untreated, and unprotected.

The scientific case is closed. What remains is the political and financial commitment to match the ambition of the 2030 elimination targets with the scale of action they demand. For India, for Africa, for every country where viral hepatitis claims lives quietly and unnecessarily, the time to act is now.

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Primary Sources:

• World Health Organization. Global Hepatitis Report 2026. WHO, Geneva. Released 28 April 2026. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240122383
• Cui F, Faini D, Razavi-Shearer D et al. The burden of chronic hepatitis B and C in 2022 and progress towards elimination: a global report. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2026. PMID: 41895313. DOI: 10.1016/S2468-1253(25)00375-9
• Rossvoll L, Desalegn H, Gudissa FG et al. Treatment of chronic hepatitis B in Ethiopia: 1-year results from a real-life, multicentre, prospective cohort study. The Lancet Global Health. 2025;13(11):e1914–e1923. PMID: 41109262. DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(25)00309-2
• Premkumar M, Gupta E, Sandhu A et al. Impact of Resistance Associated Substitutions and Predictors of Treatment Failure Following Direct-acting Antiviral Therapy in a Viral Hepatitis C Elimination Cohort. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology. 2025;15(6):102601. PMID: 40611935. DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2025.102601
• Swaroop S, Shalimar, Acharya SK. Hepatitis B virus prevalence in India: A wake-up call for action. Indian Journal of Gastroenterology. 2025;44:585–587. DOI: 10.1007/s12664-025-01804-5
• WHO News Release. Efforts to eliminate hepatitis delivers gains but more action needed to meet 2030 targets. 28 April 2026. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-04-2026-efforts-to-eliminate-hepatitis-delivers-gains-but-more-action-needed-to-meet-2030-targets

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Medical Disclaimer: This article is for public health education and awareness purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you believe you may have been exposed to hepatitis B or C, or are experiencing symptoms of liver disease, please consult a qualified healthcare professional. For more information, visit our Medical Disclaimer page.