The World Health Organization (WHO) says Nigeria and nine other countries in Africa and Asia accounted for about 70 per cent of global Hepatitis B-related deaths in 2024.
The global health body disclosed this in its 2026 Global Hepatitis Report released on Tuesday, noting that the same group of countries also contributed significantly to the global burden of hepatitis cases.
According to WHO, the 10 countries—Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa and Vietnam—accounted for nearly 70 per cent of Hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide.
It added that in 2024, 10 countries—China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, the United States and Vietnam—made up 58 per cent of global hepatitis cases.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver and is transmitted through contact with infected body fluids such as blood, saliva, vaginal fluids and semen, as well as from mother to child. The disease can be acute or chronic, with chronic infection increasing the risk of liver cirrhosis and cancer.
Hepatitis C, another viral liver infection, is primarily spread through exposure to infected blood, often due to unsafe injections or unscreened blood transfusions.
WHO estimates that about 287 million people—roughly three per cent of the global population—were living with chronic Hepatitis B or C infections in 2024.
The report highlighted that the WHO African Region accounted for 68 per cent of new Hepatitis B infections, while only 17 per cent of newborns in the region received the birth-dose vaccine.
It further noted that although about 240 million people were living with chronic Hepatitis B in 2024, fewer than five per cent were receiving treatment. Similarly, only 20 per cent of people with Hepatitis C have been treated since effective therapies became available in 2015.
WHO expressed concern that limited access to prevention and care continues to drive mortality, revealing that about 1.1 million people died from Hepatitis B and 240,000 from Hepatitis C in 2024—bringing total deaths to approximately 1.34 million.
The organisation also said transmission remains high, with about 1.8 million new infections recorded annually, equivalent to over 4,900 cases daily.
Despite these challenges, WHO noted measurable progress in combating viral hepatitis, stating that new Hepatitis B infections have declined by 32 per cent, while Hepatitis C-related deaths have dropped by 12 per cent.
It added that Hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has fallen to 0.6 per cent, with 85 countries meeting or surpassing the 2030 target of reducing prevalence to 0.1 per cent.
WHO said Hepatitis B and C together account for 95 per cent of all hepatitis-related deaths globally, reflecting the need for sustained international efforts toward elimination targets set at the 2016 World Health Assembly.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said eliminating hepatitis remains achievable but requires accelerated action.
He noted that many people remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems and unequal access to care.
Tedros stressed the need for urgent scale-up of prevention, diagnosis and treatment to meet the 2030 elimination targets.
He added that effective tools already exist, including the Hepatitis B vaccine, which is more than 95 per cent effective, as well as antiviral treatments that can manage chronic infections and prevent severe liver disease.
Short-course therapies for Hepatitis C, lasting between eight and 12 weeks, can cure more than 95 per cent of cases, he said.
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