The fight against hepatitis is advancing, but not enough to stop the crisis

Although infections and mortality have fallen, millions of people remain undiagnosed and untreated, according to the WHO.

Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report stating that although measurable progress is being made in the fight against viral hepatitis, the disease remains a major global health challenge.

According to the WHO document, new hepatitis B infections fell by 32%, while hepatitis C-related deaths dropped by 12%. Despite this, the disease remains a major global health challenge that causes more than 1.3 million deaths annually.

The WHO highlighted significant progress in the fight against hepatitis B and C, which account for 95% of all hepatitis-related deaths worldwide and which in 2024 caused 1.34 million deaths. Meanwhile, transmission continues at a rate of 1.8 million new infections per year, which represents more than 4,900 cases per day.

A viral infection with a high health impact

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can be transmitted through contact with infected body fluids, such as blood, saliva, vaginal fluids and semen, or from mother to child. The disease can be acute or chronic, and in the latter case, it increases the risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Hepatitis C, for its part, is an inflammation of the liver caused by a virus of the same name. It is transmitted through exposure to infected blood through unsafe practices, such as sharing needles and syringes or transfusions of unscreened blood.

The WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026 documents progress since 2015: new hepatitis B infections show a 32% decrease, while hepatitis C-related deaths fell by 12%. 

Although the document notes that these advances reflect sustained and coordinated international action toward the viral hepatitis elimination goals adopted at the 2016 World Health Assembly, current rates are insufficient to achieve the elimination targets by 2030.

Barriers to accessing treatment

The WHO warns that access to treatment remains limited. According to the report's figures, in 2024 around 240 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B and fewer than 5% were receiving treatment. The document also notes that only 20% of people with hepatitis C have been treated since an effective treatment became available in 2015.

According to the organization, limited access to prevention and care continues to drive mortality. Approximately 1.1 million people died from hepatitis B and 240,000 from hepatitis C in 2024, mainly due to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Seventy percent of deaths from hepatitis B and related diseases were recorded in Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa and Vietnam, mostly in Asia and Africa. As for hepatitis C, in 2024, 58% of deaths were concentrated in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, the United States and Vietnam.

While highlighting the challenges, the WHO stressed that effective tools are available to combat the disease. This is the case of the hepatitis B vaccine, which is more than 95% effective against both acute and chronic infections. In addition, long-term antiviral treatment can help control chronic infection and prevent severe liver disease. 

Meanwhile, short-course treatments for hepatitis C, lasting between 8 and 12 weeks, can cure more than 95% of cases. For her part, Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of the WHO Department of HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections, pointed to the need to improve access to care.

Kasaeva stated that “the data show that progress is possible, but they also reveal where we are failing. Every missed diagnosis and every untreated chronic viral hepatitis infection represents a preventable death.” 

In addition, Tereza Kasaneva said that countries must move quickly to integrate hepatitis services into primary care for infected people and thus reach the most affected communities. 

The WHO report calls for greater political commitment and increased funding to expand access to hepatitis B vaccination for newborns and to medicines to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

The WHO insists on the need to improve injection safety both inside and outside health care settings, including by strengthening harm reduction services for people who inject drugs.

Guillermo Whpei

President of Fundación para la Democracia