World Hepatitis Day is observed annually on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that can lead to severe liver disease and liver cancer. The 2026 theme, "Hepatitis: Let’s break it down," emphasizes the need to simplify and accelerate efforts to eliminate hepatitis by 2030.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 254 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B and 50 million with chronic hepatitis C in 2022. Despite the availability of effective vaccines and treatments, the majority of infected individuals remain undiagnosed and untreated, leading to approximately 1.3 million deaths each year from hepatitis-related causes.
On this day, WHO and partners, including the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), released new publications and insights. ECDC highlighted that while progress has been made in the European region, testing and treatment rates remain below targets, particularly for hepatitis B and C. WHO reiterated its call for countries to expand access to affordable diagnostics and therapies, and to implement harm reduction services.
The theme "Let’s break it down" also encourages communities and health systems to break down barriers to care, including stigma, discrimination, and lack of awareness. WHO emphasizes that with political will and investment, viral hepatitis can be eliminated as a public health threat by 2030.
