WHO reports that despite global progress, hepatitis deaths remain high in India, one of the worst-affected countries

New Delhi: Despite progress in global efforts, India remains one of the countries with the highest burden of hepatitis-related deaths, according to the World Health Organization’s Global Hepatitis Report 2026, which warns that the world is off track towards achieving elimination targets by 2030.The report lists viral hepatitis as a major public health threat, with more than 1.3 million people expected to die globally by 2024, mostly from hepatitis B and hepatitis C, which together account for more than 95% of hepatitis-related deaths.Hepatitis B and C are viral infections that affect the liver and can remain silent for years before leading to cirrhosis and cancer.India plays an important role in the global burden. Together, these ten countries account for nearly 69% of global hepatitis B-related deaths and 58% of global hepatitis B-related deaths. Hepatitis C Death toll. India also has one of the highest hepatitis C burdens, ranking second after Pakistan; together with China, these three countries account for approximately 39% of global cases.According to estimates from the World Health Organization and ICMR, India falls into the medium hepatitis B burden category with a prevalence of about 2-4%, which means nearly 40 million people suffer from chronic hepatitis B.“Despite the availability of a vaccine and simple, affordable treatments, the burden of hepatitis in India remains high due to gaps in vaccination coverage, unsafe exposures such as shared needles and razor reuse, and missed screening opportunities, especially during pregnancy. The bigger problem is underdiagnosis rather than access to treatment. While hepatitis C prevalence has declined dramatically and free hepatitis C treatment has expanded, awareness, routine screening and long-term treatment compliance remain weak. At the current pace, elimination of hepatitis C by 2030 seems unlikely, although achievable in the foreseeable future,” said Dr. Piyush Ranjan, Vice Chairman, Institute of Liver Gastroenterology and Pancreatobiliary Sciences, Sir Gangaram Hospital.While progress has been made, it remains uneven. Since 2015, new hepatitis B infections have fallen by 32% globally and deaths from hepatitis C have fallen by 12%, but deaths from hepatitis B have increased by 17%, pointing to gaps in diagnosis and treatment.It is estimated that by 2024, 240 million people will have chronic hepatitis B and 47 million people will have hepatitis C, but access to treatment remains limited—less than 5% of people with hepatitis B are receiving treatment, and only about 20% of eligible people with hepatitis C have received treatment.The report highlights that most hepatitis B infections occur in early childhood and are often transmitted from mother to child, while hepatitis C continues to be transmitted through unsafe injections and blood contact.Although infection rates have fallen, progress is still too slow to meet the 2030 target of significantly reducing new infections and deaths. The World Health Organization has called for expanded screening, treatment, vaccinations and safer medical practices.