The World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed its commitment on Tuesday to eliminate the spread of viral hepatitis by 2030, citing both progress and ongoing challenges in its latest global assessment.
The organization’s statement, released during the World Hepatitis Summit, referenced a new report that recorded 1.34 million deaths attributable to hepatitis B and C worldwide in 2024. Despite measurable reductions in infections and mortality, the disease continues to pose a substantial public‑health burden, with more than 4,900 new infections reported each day—approximately 1.8 million annually.
Since 2015, WHO data show notable advances: new hepatitis B infections have fallen by 32 percent, hepatitis C‑related deaths have declined by 12 percent, and childhood vaccination coverage has improved. Hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has dropped to 0.6 percent, and 85 countries have met or exceeded the 2030 target of 0.1 percent prevalence in this age group.
Nevertheless, the report warns that overall progress remains uneven and insufficient to achieve all 2030 elimination milestones. Accelerated prevention, expanded testing, and broader access to effective treatment are required, especially in regions where health systems are fragile and stigma hampers diagnosis and care.
WHO Director‑General Tedros Ghebreyesus emphasized that political commitment and reliable financing are essential for elimination. He highlighted that, according to updated estimates, 287 million people lived with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024, including 0.9 million new hepatitis B infections. Africa accounted for 68 percent of these cases. Only 17 percent of newborns in the African region received the hepatitis B birth‑dose vaccine, and unsafe injections alongside inadequate harm‑reduction services contributed to 0.9 million new hepatitis C infections.
Despite the availability of highly effective interventions—a vaccine that prevents hepatitis B and a short‑course hepatitis C cure achieving cure rates above 95 percent—treatment coverage remains low. Fewer than five percent of hepatitis B patients receive therapy, and only 20 percent of those living with hepatitis C are treated globally.
The WHO’s renewed call to action underscores the need for coordinated international effort, strengthened health infrastructure, and equitable access to vaccines and therapies. Achieving the 2030 elimination goals will depend on scaling up prevention measures, improving diagnostic outreach, and ensuring that life‑saving treatments reach the populations most at risk.
