India continues to be one of the countries with the highest number of hepatitis-related deaths, according to the World Health Organization Global Hepatitis Report 2026.
The report highlights that although many countries are making progress in fighting hepatitis, global efforts are still not enough to meet the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030.
WHO warned that the world is currently off track in achieving these elimination targets.
Viral hepatitis remains a serious health concern worldwide. In 2024 alone, more than 1.3 million people died globally from hepatitis-related illnesses.
The majority of these deaths were caused by hepatitis B and hepatitis C, which together account for more than 95% of all hepatitis-related deaths.
The report stresses that hepatitis continues to be a major but often overlooked public health crisis, especially in countries with large populations and limited healthcare access.
For India, the findings underline the urgent need for stronger screening programs, better vaccination coverage, improved treatment access, and greater public awareness.
Health experts say that early detection and timely treatment are critical to reducing the long-term burden of liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer caused by hepatitis infections.
While progress has been made globally, the report makes it clear that faster action is needed if countries hope to meet the 2030 targets and significantly reduce preventable deaths.