NEW DELHI: India continues to be among the countries with the highest burden of hepatitis-related deaths, even as global efforts show some progress, according to the World Health Organization's Global Hepatitis Report 2026. The report warns that the world is off track to meet the 2030 elimination targets for viral hepatitis.
Global Impact of Viral Hepatitis
The report highlights viral hepatitis as a major public health threat, with over 1.3 million deaths globally in 2024. Hepatitis B and C together account for more than 95% of these deaths. These viral infections affect the liver and can remain asymptomatic for years before leading to serious conditions like cirrhosis and liver cancer.
India's Burden
India figures prominently in the global hepatitis burden. It is among ten countries that together account for nearly 69% of hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide and 58% of global hepatitis C deaths. India also has one of the largest hepatitis C burdens, ranking second after Pakistan. Along with China, these three countries account for about 39% of global hepatitis C cases.
According to WHO and Indian Council of Medical Research estimates, India falls in the intermediate hepatitis B burden category, with a prevalence of around 2–4%. This translates to nearly 40 million people living with chronic hepatitis B infection.
Challenges and Expert Insights
Dr. Piyush Ranjan, Vice-chairperson of the Institute of Liver Gastroenterology and Pancreatico Biliary Science at Sir Gangaram Hospital, explained the situation: "Despite vaccines and simple, affordable treatment, India continues to carry a high hepatitis burden due to gaps in vaccination coverage, unsafe exposures like needle sharing and razor reuse, and missed opportunities in screening—especially during pregnancy. The bigger problem is under-diagnosis, not treatment access. While prevalence has dropped sharply and free hepatitis C treatment has expanded, awareness, routine screening, and long-term treatment compliance remain weak. At the current pace, eliminating hepatitis C by 2030 looks unlikely, though it is achievable in the foreseeable future."
Global Progress and Gaps
While there has been progress globally, it remains uneven. New hepatitis B infections have fallen by 32% since 2015, and hepatitis C deaths by 12%. However, hepatitis B deaths have risen by 17%, pointing to significant gaps in diagnosis and treatment.
An estimated 240 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B in 2024, and 47 million with hepatitis C. Yet treatment access remains limited: fewer than 5% of hepatitis B patients are on therapy, and only about 20% of eligible hepatitis C patients have been treated.
Transmission and Recommendations
The report highlights that most hepatitis B infections occur in early childhood, often through mother-to-child transmission. Hepatitis C continues to spread through unsafe injections and blood exposure. Despite falling infection rates, progress is too slow to meet the 2030 target of sharply reducing new infections and deaths. The WHO has called for scaling up screening, treatment, vaccination, and safer medical practices.
