WHO report highlights Nigeria among countries with highest hepatitis B‑related deaths

Health

GENEVA, Switzerland (NPA) — Global efforts to combat viral hepatitis are delivering measurable progress in reducing infections and deaths, but the disease remains a major global health challenge, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report released at the World Hepatitis Summit in Geneva.

The report shows that Nigeria is among ten countries accounting for 69% of hepatitis B‑related deaths worldwide in 2024, alongside China, India, Ethiopia, and others. Nigeria also features among the top ten countries for hepatitis C‑related deaths. Despite global gains — including a 32% drop in new hepatitis B infections and a 12% fall in hepatitis C deaths since 2015 — the WHO warns that progress remains too slow to meet 2030 elimination targets.

WHO Director‑General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that eliminating hepatitis is achievable with sustained political commitment and financing, but noted that stigma, weak health systems, and inequitable access to care continue to leave millions undiagnosed and untreated. The report calls for stronger vaccination coverage, expanded treatment access, and improved harm‑reduction services, particularly in Africa, where Nigeria and other countries carry a disproportionate share of the global burden.

Updated WHO estimates indicate that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in 2024, with Africa accounting for the majority of new hepatitis B cases. Alarmingly, only 17% of newborns in the region received the hepatitis B birth‑dose vaccination, underscoring gaps in maternal and child health services. The report emphasizes that every untreated infection represents a preventable death, urging countries to integrate hepatitis services into primary care and scale up community outreach.

Despite these challenges, WHO highlighted success stories in countries such as Egypt, Georgia, Rwanda, and the United Kingdom, where strong political will and investment have delivered measurable progress. The report concludes that with existing tools — vaccines, antiviral therapies, and curative treatments — hepatitis elimination is possible, but only if countries like Nigeria accelerate prevention, diagnosis, and treatment efforts to meet the 2030 targets.