New Delhi: India remains one of the countries bearing the highest burden of hepatitis-related deaths despite visible progress in global efforts, according to WHO’s Global Hepatitis Report 2026, which warns that the world is off track to meet 2030 elimination targets.The report identifies viral hepatitis as a major public health threat, with more than 1.3 million deaths globally in 2024 – largely from hepatitis B and C, which together account for more than 95% of hepatitis-related deaths.Hepatitis B and C are viral infections that affect the liver and can remain silent for years before causing cirrhosis and cancer.India has a prominent place in the global burden. It is one of ten countries that account for approximately 69% of hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide and 58% of deaths globally. hepatitis C Deaths. India also has the highest burden of hepatitis C, second only to Pakistan; Along with China, the three countries account for about 39% of global cases.According to WHO and ICMR estimates, India falls in the intermediate hepatitis B burden category, with a prevalence of around 2-4%, i.e. around 40 million people are living with chronic infection.“Despite vaccines and simple, affordable treatments, the burden of hepatitis in India continues to rise due to gaps in vaccination coverage, unsafe exposures such as needle sharing and razor reuse, and missed opportunities in screening – especially during pregnancy. The major problem is inadequate diagnosis, not access to treatment. While prevalence has declined rapidly and free hepatitis C treatment has expanded, awareness, regular screening and long-term treatment compliance remain weak. At the current pace, it seems impossible to eliminate hepatitis C by 2030, although it is achievable in the near future,” said Dr. Piyush Ranjan, Vice President, Institute of Liver Gastroenterology and Pancreatico Biliary Sciences, Sir Gangaram Hospital.Although progress has been made, it remains uneven. Globally, new hepatitis B infections have declined by 32% since 2015 and deaths from hepatitis C have declined by 12%, but deaths from hepatitis B have increased by 17%, pointing to gaps in diagnosis and treatment.It is estimated that 240 million people will be living with chronic hepatitis B and 47 million people will be living with hepatitis C in 2024, yet access to treatment is limited – less than 5% of hepatitis B patients are on therapy and only 20% of eligible hepatitis C patients have been treated.

The report highlights that most hepatitis B infections occur in childhood, often through mother-to-child transmission, while hepatitis C continues to spread through unsafe injection and blood exposure.Despite declining infection rates, progress has been too slow to meet the 2030 target of sharply reducing new infections and deaths. WHO has called for scaling up screening, treatment, vaccination and safe medical practices.