WHO: Poor Access to Diagnosis, Treatment Driving Hepatitis Surge in Africa

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that far too many people in Africa still live with viral hepatitis, without knowing it despite efforts being made by member states to eliminate its threat.

It blamed lack of timely diagnosis, treatment and care for the limited progress so far made at curtailing the disease within the continent.

In a message to mark the World Hepatitis Day 2026 under the theme “Hepatitis: Let’s break it down”, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohammed Janabi called on governments, partners, health workers and communities to break down the barriers that prevent people from accessing lifesaving hepatitis services.

He said that despite achieving a 25 percent decline in new hepatitis B infections between 2015 and 2024, “millions of people across the WHO African Region still lack timely diagnosis, treatment and care, while viral hepatitis claims far too many lives”.

In his words, “Eliminating viral hepatitis is within our reach, but only if proven interventions are available to everyone who needs them”.

“Far too many people still live with viral hepatitis, without knowing it. Delayed diagnosis means that many only seek care once serious liver disease has developed, while access to testing and treatment is still uneven, especially in underserved communities.

“Stigma and limited awareness also discourage many people from coming forward for testing and care.

“To address these gaps, hepatitis services must become part of routine health care throughout the life course.

“Integrating prevention, testing and treatment into primary health care will make services more accessible and more affordable, while continued investment in research and innovation will help expand access to new diagnostics and treatments, including for hepatitis B and hepatitis D co-infection,” he said.

Janabi also said that the world already have the tools to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat, adding that a highly effective hepatitis B vaccine, introduced in the early 1990s, provides up to 95 percent protection against infection.

“We also have reliable diagnostics that enable early detection, curative treatment for hepatitis C, and life-long treatment for hepatitis B that can prevent cirrhosis and liver cancer.

“Bringing these services closer to people through stronger primary health care systems will save lives, reduce the long-term burden on health services, and move countries closer to universal health coverage.

“This is no longer a scientific challenge. It lies in mobilizing political will, securing investment, and ensuring equitable delivery so that everyone can benefit from these proven interventions,” he said

The WHO Regional Director said that the region has already shown leadership by scaling up the universal hepatitis B birth dose, advancing the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, and pioneering hepatitis C elimination pathways.

According to him, what is required to eliminate hepatitis is a sustained political commitment, investment and partnership.

“On this World Hepatitis Day, I urge Member States to strengthen national hepatitis programmes, expand access to vaccination, testing and treatment, and to place communities at the centre of elimination efforts.

“I also call on partners to sustain the technical and financial support that is so critical for countries to accelerate progress towards the 2030 elimination targets.

“As WHO, we are fully committed to working alongside every one of our Member States to strengthen health systems, expand equitable access to hepatitis services, and support country-led action,” he said.