Hepatitis elimination shows gains, but 2030 targets remain out of reach, WHO warns

WHO's 2026 Global Hepatitis report shows real progress since 2015—HBV infections and HCV deaths are down, and several countries have reached the 2030 HBV prevalence target, yet overall progress is too slow and uneven to meet all elimination goals. Only a minority of people with chronic HBV or HCV receive treatment (less than 5% for HBV, around 20% for HCV since 2015), vaccination coverage remains uneven (birth-dose vaccination in Africa is low), and ongoing transmission persists with about 4,900 new infections daily. The report calls for faster prevention, testing, and treatment, stronger political commitment and financing, expanded vaccination and antiviral therapies, and safer injection/harm-reduction measures to reach 2030 targets.