Nigeria among hardest hit by global hepatitis deaths — WHO
WHO says Nigeria remains among countries with major hepatitis deaths as millions stay undiagnosed and untreated globally.
Nigeria has been listed among the countries carrying a major share of the global hepatitis deaths burden, as the World Health Organisation warns that gains against the disease remain too slow to meet international elimination targets.
In its latest global hepatitis update, the WHO said Nigeria was among the nations responsible for a significant portion of hepatitis B and hepatitis C-related deaths in 2024, placing renewed attention on one of the world’s most persistent but under-discussed health threats.
According to the organisation, viral hepatitis B and C caused 1.34 million deaths globally in 2024, while more than 4,900 new infections occurred daily, amounting to roughly 1.8 million new cases in a year.
The WHO stated that 10 countries accounted for 69 percent of hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide in 2024, naming Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa and Viet Nam.
For hepatitis C, the disease burden was more widely spread, but Nigeria again appeared among the top contributors. The WHO said 10 countries accounted for 58 percent of global hepatitis C-related deaths, including China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, South Africa, the United States and Viet Nam.
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The findings place Nigeria at the centre of a global health challenge that often receives less urgency than diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis or HIV, despite its heavy death toll and long-term complications.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by viral infection. Hepatitis B and C are especially dangerous because they can remain undetected for years while gradually damaging the liver. When untreated, both viruses can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer, the leading causes of hepatitis-related deaths worldwide.
The WHO said 1.1 million people died from hepatitis B in 2024, while 240,000 died from hepatitis C. It also estimated that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in 2024, highlighting the vast number of people still at risk.
The 2026 Global Hepatitis Report noted measurable improvements since 2015. Annual new hepatitis B infections have fallen by 32 percent, while hepatitis C-related deaths have declined by 12 percent globally.
Childhood protection has also improved. The WHO said hepatitis B prevalence among children under five has dropped to 0.6 percent, with 85 countries meeting or surpassing the 2030 target of 0.1 percent.
But major gaps remain, particularly in Africa. The report said 0.9 million people were newly infected with hepatitis B in 2024, with Africa accounting for 68 percent of those cases. Yet only 17 percent of newborns in the region received the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine, one of the most effective early protections against transmission.
That gap is especially relevant for Nigeria, where birth-dose vaccination access, antenatal screening, and public awareness remain inconsistent across many communities.
The WHO also raised concern over treatment access. It said fewer than five percent of the 240 million people living with chronic hepatitis B were receiving treatment.
For hepatitis C, where curative therapy exists and has a success rate above 95 percent, only about 20 percent of patients have been treated since 2015. This means millions remain undiagnosed, untreated, or unaware of their status, allowing the disease to continue spreading silently.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the world already has the tools needed to end hepatitis as a public health threat, but political urgency has not matched the scale of the problem.
“Around the world, countries are showing that eliminating hepatitis is not a pipedream; it is 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.”
He added that urgent expansion of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment is necessary if countries are to meet the 2030 elimination targets.
The WHO cited countries such as Egypt, Georgia, Rwanda and the United Kingdom as examples showing elimination is achievable through sustained investment and political commitment.
For Nigeria, the report reinforces growing concerns around routine screening, delayed diagnosis, treatment costs, uneven vaccine access, and low public awareness, all of which continue to shape the country’s hepatitis burden.
