The World Health Organisation has identified Nigeria as one of the countries contributing a large share of global hepatitis-related deaths in 2024, raising fresh concerns about the disease burden worldwide.
In a news release published Tuesday, the global health body stated that hepatitis B and C—responsible for 95 per cent of hepatitis-related deaths—claimed 1.34 million lives in 2024. It added that over 4,900 new infections occur daily, amounting to about 1.8 million annually.
The WHO said, “Ten countries – Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa and Viet Nam – accounted for 69% of hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide in 2024.”
It also noted that hepatitis C deaths were more spread out geographically, adding, “In 2024, ten countries accounted for 58% of the global total: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, South Africa, the United States of America and Viet Nam.”
According to the 2026 Global Hepatitis Report, there has been measurable progress since 2015, including a 32 per cent drop in new hepatitis B infections annually and a 12 per cent reduction in hepatitis C-related deaths globally.
The report further indicated that hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has declined to 0.6 per cent, with 85 countries already meeting or exceeding the 2030 target of 0.1 per cent.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said eliminating hepatitis is possible, though progress remains inconsistent.
“Around the world, countries are showing that eliminating hepatitis is not a pipedream, it’s possible with sustained political commitment, backed by reliable domestic financing,” he said.
“At the same time, this report shows that progress is too slow and uneven. Many people remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems and inequitable access to care.
“While we have the tools to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat, urgent scale-up of prevention, diagnosis and treatment is needed if the world is to meet the 2030 targets,” he added.
The report estimated that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024.
It revealed that 0.9 million people were newly infected with hepatitis B that 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 hepatitis C infections were recorded in 2024, with people who inject drugs making up 44 per cent of new cases.
The WHO noted that fewer than 5 per cent of the 240 million people living with chronic hepatitis B are receiving treatment. Meanwhile, about 20 per cent of hepatitis C patients have been treated since 2015, despite the availability of curative therapy with a success rate above 95 per cent.
Consequently, 1.1 million deaths were linked to hepatitis B and 240,000 to hepatitis C in 2024, with liver cirrhosis and liver cancer identified as the leading causes.
The report highlighted that countries such as Egypt, Georgia, Rwanda and the United Kingdom demonstrate that elimination is achievable with sustained investment and political will, while calling for expanded vaccination, broader testing, improved treatment access, and stronger prevention efforts to meet global targets.
