The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised fresh concerns over the global burden of viral hepatitis, warning that the disease claims one life every 30 seconds through severe liver disease or liver cancer.
In a message marking the 2026 World Hepatitis Day, observed annually on July 28, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on governments, health agencies, and development partners to intensify efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat and reduce deaths linked to liver cancer.
To commemorate this year's event, WHO is collaborating with Rotary International and the World Hepatitis Alliance to strengthen advocacy at both global and community levels.
The 2026 campaign, themed "Hepatitis: Let's Break It Down," seeks to draw attention to the increasing burden of liver cancer caused by chronic hepatitis infections while calling for urgent action to remove barriers such as stigma, inadequate funding, and limited access to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
"Every 30 seconds, someone dies from hepatitis-related severe liver disease or liver cancer. Yet we have the tools to stop hepatitis," Ghebreyesus said.
He explained that viral hepatitis types A, B, C, D, and E are major causes of acute liver infections. However, only hepatitis B, C, and D can progress to chronic infections, significantly increasing the risk of liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer.
According to him, more than 300 million people worldwide are living with hepatitis B, C, or D, while the diseases account for over 1.3 million deaths annually, mainly from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Ghebreyesus also highlighted a recent decision by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which classified hepatitis D as carcinogenic to humans, placing it alongside hepatitis B and C.
He noted that hepatitis D, which only affects individuals already infected with hepatitis B, increases the risk of liver cancer by two to six times compared to hepatitis B infection alone.
This reclassification marks a critical step in global efforts to raise awareness, improve screening, and expand access to new treatments for hepatitis D," he added.
WHO's incoming Director of Science for Health, Meg Doherty, said the organization released updated guidelines on the testing and diagnosis of hepatitis B and D in 2024 and continues to monitor the effectiveness of emerging therapies for hepatitis D.
She noted that hepatitis C can now be cured with oral medication within two to three months, while hepatitis B can be effectively controlled through lifelong treatment.
Although treatment options for hepatitis D are still evolving, Doherty stressed that reducing deaths from liver cirrhosis and cancer will require countries to expand vaccination, testing, harm reduction services, and access to treatment through stronger national health systems.
She also said progress is being recorded in many low- and middle-income countries, with an increasing number adopting national hepatitis strategies.
According to WHO, the number of countries with national hepatitis action plans rose from 59 to 123 in 2025. It added that 129 countries have now adopted policies for hepatitis B testing among pregnant women, up from 106 in 2024 while 147 countries have introduced the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine, compared to 138 countries in 2022.
Despite these gains, WHO said significant gaps remain in access to prevention, testing, and treatment services, as highlighted in its 2024 Global Hepatitis Report
The UN health agency stressed that meeting its 2030 hepatitis elimination targets could save 2.8 million lives and prevent 9.8 million new infections worldwide.
It urged governments to increase domestic health funding, integrate hepatitis services into primary healthcare, improve disease surveillance, expand access to affordable medicines, and eliminate the stigma that continues to prevent millions from seeking testing and treatment.
