The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said Nigeria and nine other countries account for about 70 per cent of global hepatitis B-related deaths worldwide, according to its 2026 Global Hepatitis Report released on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
The report, released by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, shows that the countries are concentrated in Africa and Asia, where infection rates remain high and access to treatment is limited.
WHO stated that Nigeria, along with countries such as India, China, Indonesia, Ethiopia and South Africa, also accounted for about 58 per cent of global hepatitis cases in 2024.
Dr Tedros said progress is being made in reducing infections, but warned that global efforts are still not fast enough to meet 2030 elimination targets.
He noted that many patients remain undiagnosed and untreated due to weak health systems, stigma, and unequal access to healthcare services.
According to WHO, hepatitis B and C infections caused about 1.34 million deaths in 2024, mostly from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The report also revealed that only a small percentage of infected people are receiving treatment globally, despite the availability of effective vaccines and antiviral drugs.
WHO said hepatitis B vaccines are over 95 per cent effective, while Hepatitis C can be cured in most cases with short-term treatment.
The agency called for urgent expansion of vaccination, diagnosis, and treatment programmes, especially in high-burden countries like Nigeria.
Dr Tedros reiterated that eliminating hepatitis is achievable if countries scale up prevention and healthcare access significantly.
