Nigeria, 9 Others Account For Majority Of Global Hepatitis Deaths — WHO

Nigeria has been ranked among 10 countries responsible for nearly 70 per cent of global deaths related to Hepatitis B, according to a new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The 2026 Global Hepatitis Report, released at the World Hepatitis Summit, disclosed that viral Hepatitis B and C claimed 1.34 million lives in 2024. Nigeria, alongside countries like China, India, and South Africa, remains a high-burden nation for both strains of the virus.

According to the WHO, 10 countries Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, and Vietnam—accounted for 69 per cent of Hepatitis B deaths. Furthermore, Nigeria was listed among another group of 10 nations responsible for 58 per cent of global Hepatitis C cases.

The global health body noted that while there is measurable progress in reducing new infections, the mortality rate remains high due to limited access to diagnosis and treatment. In the African region, for instance, only 17 per cent of newborns receive the critical Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination.

Director-General of the WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, stated that although tools to eliminate hepatitis exist, progress is uneven.

“Many people remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems, and inequitable access to care. Urgent scale-up of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment is needed if the world is to meet the 2030 targets,” he said.

The report estimated that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024, with liver cirrhosis and cancer cited as the primary causes of death.