The World Health Organization is calling on African countries to remove the medical, structural and social barriers that are preventing millions of people from accessing hepatitis care, as the region continues to bear a disproportionate share of the global burden of viral hepatitis.
On World Hepatitis Day 2026, under the theme “Hepatitis: Let’s break it down”, the WHO Regional Office for Africa urged governments, health workers, partners and communities to “break down the barriers that prevent people from accessing lifesaving hepatitis services”. The appeal comes amid persistent gaps in diagnosis, treatment and prevention across the continent.
According to the WHO, the African Region accounted for 68% of new hepatitis B infections globally in recent years, yet only 17% of newborns in the region received the recommended hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination. The organization also notes that of the 240 million people living with chronic hepatitis B worldwide in 2024, fewer than 5% were receiving treatment, with access particularly low in Africa.
Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said delayed diagnosis means many people only seek care once serious liver disease has developed, while access to testing and treatment remains uneven, especially in underserved communities. She added that stigma and limited awareness also discourage many from coming forward for testing and care.
To address these gaps, the WHO is urging African countries to integrate hepatitis services into routine primary health care, making prevention, testing and treatment more accessible and affordable. It also calls for sustained domestic financing to support national hepatitis plans, as well as the introduction or strengthening of the hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine given within 24 hours of birth.
The organization further recommends scaling up public education and community-led engagement to combat stigma and misinformation, and protecting people living with hepatitis from discrimination in health care, employment and society. It is asking governments to place communities at the centre of elimination efforts and to prioritize hepatitis control in national health agendas.
Global efforts to eliminate hepatitis have delivered measurable gains, but the WHO warns that current rates of progress are insufficient to meet the 2030 elimination targets. It is therefore calling on international partners to sustain the technical and financial support that countries need to accelerate progress toward those goals.
The WHO says that, together, these measures can prevent new infections, save lives and ensure that viral hepatitis is no longer a barrier to healthier lives for the people of Africa.
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