The report focuses on hepatitis B and hepatitis C, which account for 95% of hepatitis-related deaths worldwide. WHO estimates that these infections caused 1.34 million deaths in 2024, while transmission continues at about 1.8 million new infections each year, or more than 4 900 cases every day.

The report documents gains since 2015. New hepatitis B infections have declined by 32%, while hepatitis C-related deaths have fallen by 12%. Hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has dropped to 0.6%, and 85 countries have achieved or exceeded the 2030 target of reducing prevalence to 0.1%.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said national progress shows that eliminating hepatitis is achievable, but acceleration is urgent. Ghebreyesus warned that many infections remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems and unequal access to care, calling for a rapid scale-up of prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

WHO estimates that 287 million people, roughly 3% of the global population, were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in 2024. The WHO African Region accounted for 68% of new hepatitis B infections, yet only 17% of newborns received the birth-dose vaccination.

Treatment access remains a major gap. Fewer than 5% of the 240 million people living with chronic hepatitis B in 2024 were receiving treatment. Only 20% of hepatitis C cases have been treated since effective therapies became available in 2015.

\WHO highlighted proven solutions, including a hepatitis B vaccine that is more than 95% effective, and hepatitis C short-course therapies lasting 8 to 12 weeks that can cure more than 95% of cases.

WHO Department Director Tereza Kasaeva urged faster integration of hepatitis services into primary care and stronger outreach to high-risk communities, warning that missed diagnoses and untreated infections represent preventable deaths.