Hepatitis remains a major global health threat as the World Health Organization calls for urgent action to eliminate viral hepatitis and announces that hepatitis D has been classified as carcinogenic to humans.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments, health partners and stakeholders to intensify efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat, while announcing that hepatitis D has been classified as carcinogenic to humans.
The appeal was made by WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his message marking World Hepatitis Day 2026, observed globally on July 28.
To commemorate the day, WHO is partnering with Rotary International and the World Hepatitis Alliance to strengthen advocacy campaigns aimed at increasing awareness, prevention, testing and treatment of viral hepatitis worldwide.
The 2026 campaign, themed “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” focuses on tackling the growing burden of liver cancer associated with chronic hepatitis infections.
According to Ghebreyesus, urgent action is needed to remove long-standing barriers—including stigma, inadequate funding and limited access to healthcare—that continue to hinder progress in combating the disease.
“Every 30 seconds, someone dies from a hepatitis-related severe liver disease or liver cancer. Yet we have the tools to stop hepatitis,” he said.
He explained that viral hepatitis types A, B, C, D and E are major causes of acute liver infection. However, only hepatitis B, C and D can progress to chronic infections that significantly increase the risk of liver cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer.
WHO estimates that more than 300 million people worldwide are living with hepatitis B, C or D, while the diseases collectively cause over 1.3 million deaths each year, largely from liver cirrhosis and cancer.
The WHO Director-General disclosed that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has officially classified hepatitis D as carcinogenic to humans, placing it in the same category as hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
He noted that hepatitis D affects only individuals already infected with hepatitis B and is associated with a two- to six-fold higher risk of developing liver cancer compared with hepatitis B infection alone.
According to WHO, the classification is expected to boost global awareness, strengthen screening programmes and accelerate access to emerging treatments for hepatitis D.
WHO’s incoming Director of Science for Health, Dr Meg Doherty, said the organisation published updated guidelines on hepatitis B and hepatitis D testing and diagnosis in 2024 and continues to monitor the effectiveness of new therapies for hepatitis D.
She explained that hepatitis C can now be cured within two to three months using oral medication, while hepatitis B can be effectively managed with lifelong treatment.
Although treatment options for hepatitis D continue to improve, Doherty stressed that expanding vaccination, testing, harm reduction services and treatment within national health systems remains essential to reducing liver cirrhosis and cancer deaths.
WHO reported encouraging progress in national hepatitis programmes.
According to the agency:
The number of countries with national hepatitis action plans increased from 59 to 123 between previous reporting periods and 2025.
129 countries now have policies for hepatitis B testing among pregnant women, compared with 106 in 2024.
147 countries have introduced the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine, up from 138 in 2022.
Despite these gains, WHO said major gaps remain in prevention, diagnosis and treatment coverage, as highlighted in its 2024 Global Hepatitis Report.
The organisation emphasised that achieving its 2030 hepatitis elimination targets could save 2.8 million lives and prevent 9.8 million new infections globally.
WHO also urged governments to increase domestic investment in hepatitis programmes, integrate services into national health systems, improve disease surveillance, expand access to affordable medicines and intensify efforts to eliminate stigma surrounding viral hepatitis.
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