Published on: 2026-07-28
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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July 28, 2026 Healthcare
Today, about 287 million people worldwide live with hepatitis B and C.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2024 alone these diseases claimed 1.3 million lives – approximately 3,500 people died daily.
Despite significant progress in the prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis, the world is unlikely to achieve the goal of its elimination by 2030. WHO stated this on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, which is observed on July 28.
Most deaths are related to chronic infections that can silently damage the liver for many years, leading to cirrhosis and cancer. At the same time, a significant portion of these cases can be prevented through vaccination, timely diagnosis, and treatment. Progress in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
On the eve of World Hepatitis Day, WHO presented a report on the implementation of global strategies in the fight against HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections. The report notes that over the past decade, many countries have achieved significant progress.
The expansion of measures to vaccinate children against hepatitis B has prevented millions of new infections. Access to therapy capable of completely curing hepatitis C is also expanding.
Moreover, an increasing number of countries are integrating hepatitis prevention, diagnostic, and treatment services into primary healthcare systems. Several nations have also come closer to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B. “These achievements demonstrate that when countries invest in prevention, testing, treatment, and sustainable healthcare systems, lives are saved,” the WHO emphasized. Mortality from hepatitis continues to rise However, unlike HIV and tuberculosis, whose mortality rates are gradually decreasing due to international investments and expanded access to healthcare, mortality from viral hepatitis continues to increase. One of the main reasons remains the low level of diagnosis. Only about a quarter of people with chronic hepatitis B and just over a third of those with hepatitis C are aware of their infection. Meanwhile, only 4.3 percent of people living with hepatitis B receive treatment. Therapy that can completely cure hepatitis C has been undergone by only 20 percent of those infected. The WHO stressed that without expanding testing and treatment programs, the global community will not achieve the 2030 target of reducing hepatitis mortality by 65 percent.
Vaccination of children
The hepatitis B vaccine is considered one of the most effective means of preventing infectious diseases. Today, 84 percent of infants worldwide receive the necessary vaccination, which has significantly reduced the number of new infections.
However, in many countries, children still do not receive the necessary protection. The situation is especially difficult in the WHO African Region, where only 17 percent of newborns are vaccinated within the first day of life.
The organization called for making timely vaccination after birth one of the priorities of global healthcare. To prevent infection with hepatitis C, it is also necessary to expand harm reduction programs for people who inject drugs.
Drugs already exist WHO emphasizes that the necessary diagnostic tools and effective medications have already been developed. Hepatitis C can be completely cured, and lifelong antiviral therapy for hepatitis B allows controlling the infection, preventing severe liver diseases, and saving lives.
“Today, the problem is not the lack of scientific solutions, but ensuring fair access to them,” the organization stated.
The cost of inaction
Constant funding and political will are necessary to eliminate viral hepatitis, emphasized the WHO. Amid shrinking resources allocated to health programs, the fight against these diseases must not be sidelined. The cost of inaction will be measured not only in human lives but also in increased healthcare expenses and deepening inequality. On the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, the WHO called on governments, international partners, civil society, and local communities to unite efforts to remove barriers that deny millions of people access to vaccination, testing, and treatment. “The path to hepatitis elimination is already known. Now we must move faster, as every delay means new infections, new cases of liver cancer, and preventable deaths,” the WHO stressed.
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