The World Health Organisation has identified Nigeria as one of the countries accounting for a significant share of global hepatitis-related deaths in 2024, raising fresh concerns about the burden of the disease.
In a statement released on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, the global health body said viral hepatitis B and C, responsible for 95 per cent of hepatitis-related deaths, claimed 1.34 million lives worldwide in 2024. It added that more than 4,900 new infections occur daily, translating to about 1.8 million annually.
According to the WHO, ten countries Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa and Vietnam accounted for 69 per cent of hepatitis B-related deaths globally in 2024.
For hepatitis C, the burden is more widely spread. The organisation noted that ten countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, the United States and Vietnam, made up 58 per cent of global deaths.
Findings from the 2026 Global Hepatitis Report show some progress since 2015, including a 32 per cent decline in new hepatitis B infections and a 12 per cent reduction in hepatitis C-related deaths worldwide.
The report also indicated that hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has dropped to 0.6 per cent, with 85 countries meeting or surpassing the 2030 target of 0.1 per cent.
WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus said while elimination of hepatitis is achievable, progress remains slow and uneven.
“Countries are demonstrating that eliminating hepatitis is possible with sustained political commitment and reliable domestic financing. However, many people remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems, and unequal access to care,” he said.
He stressed that despite the availability of effective tools, urgent expansion of prevention, diagnosis and treatment is needed to meet the 2030 global targets.
The report estimates that about 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infections in 2024.
It added that 0.9 million people were newly infected with hepatitis B in the same year, with Africa accounting for 68 per cent of cases. However, only 17 per cent of newborns in the region received the hepatitis B birth dose vaccine.
Similarly, 0.9 million new hepatitis C infections were recorded in 2024, with people who inject drugs accounting for 44 per cent of cases.
The WHO noted that fewer than five per cent of the estimated 240 million people living with chronic hepatitis B are receiving treatment. In contrast, about 20 per cent of hepatitis C patients have been treated since 2015, despite the availability of curative therapies with over 95 per cent success rates.
As a result, hepatitis B accounted for 1.1 million deaths, while hepatitis C caused 240,000 deaths in 2024, largely due to complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The report highlighted countries such as Egypt, Georgia, Rwanda and the United Kingdom as examples where sustained investment and political commitment have driven progress toward elimination.
The WHO called for expanded vaccination coverage, increased testing, improved access to treatment, and stronger prevention strategies to accelerate progress, warning that current efforts remain insufficient to meet the 2030 elimination targets.
