- Health Experts Rally Support for Hepatitis Elimination by 2030
- Nigeria Among Countries With High Hepatitis Burden
- Says Hepatitis Still Killing Millions Globally
Stakeholders at a dissemination meeting on the outcome of the 2026 World Hepatitis Summit in Bangkok have called for an urgent scale-up of treatment for people living with hepatitis B and C, alongside improved coverage of hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination, as part of efforts to meet the global elimination target by 2030.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the targets, set under the World Health Organization’s Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis, aim to reduce hepatitis incidence by 95 per cent by 2030, drastically cut new hepatitis B and C infections, and achieve a 65 per cent reduction in hepatitis-related deaths.
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The strategy also seeks to ensure that 90 per cent of people living with hepatitis B and C are diagnosed, while 80 per cent of eligible persons receive treatment.
The dissemination meeting, held over the weekend in Jalingo, was convened by the Centre for Initiative Development and brought together stakeholders from the health, education, and professional sectors across Taraba State.
Officials from the Taraba State Ministry of Health commended CFID for its sustained public health interventions, noting that its awareness campaigns and support services had significantly improved hepatitis testing and increased awareness of personal health status among residents.
The ministry also called for stronger collaboration with development partners to further strengthen hepatitis response efforts across the state.
A representative of the World Health Organization highlighted the dangers posed by hepatitis and stressed the importance of coordinated global and local action to meet the 2030 elimination target.
The official further praised CFID’s efforts in reducing hepatitis prevalence in Taraba State and emphasised the need for continuous capacity building for health workers using updated global data and best practices.
Health institutions, including College of Nursing and Midwifery, Taraba State University, and Muwanshat College of Health and Technology, pledged to intensify awareness campaigns within their institutions and deepen collaboration with CFID to boost testing and treatment uptake in communities.
The Nigerian Medical Association called for wider dissemination of updated global hepatitis reports across health facilities, saying improved access to current data would strengthen clinical response and disease management.
Similarly, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to promoting routine hepatitis testing and counselling, stressing that early diagnosis remains critical to reducing transmission and long-term complications.
Sharing her personal experience, legal practitioner Barrister Gloria highlighted widespread misconceptions surrounding hepatitis transmission, clarifying that the disease is not spread through sweat. She called for increased investment in hepatitis prevention and treatment, noting that stigma continues to discourage many people from seeking testing and care.
Presenting global statistics, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CFID, Prince (Dr.) Danjuma Adda, disclosed that about 237 million people are currently living with hepatitis B globally, with two deaths recorded every minute.
He added that approximately 46 million people are infected with hepatitis C worldwide, resulting in one death every two minutes.
According to Adda, 2.9 per cent of the global population is living with chronic hepatitis B, while 58 per cent of the global hepatitis C burden in 2024 was concentrated in ten countries, including Nigeria.
He further noted that hepatitis B and C account for more than 95 per cent of viral hepatitis-related deaths globally.
Adda said about 1.8 million new hepatitis B and C infections were recorded in 2024, while approximately 1.3 million deaths occurred within the same period, mainly from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
He added that ten countries, including Nigeria, account for 69 per cent of chronic hepatitis B-related deaths globally, while another ten countries account for 58 per cent of hepatitis C-related deaths worldwide.
Despite the challenges, Adda noted significant progress, revealing that 85 countries have already achieved the 2030 target of reducing chronic hepatitis B prevalence among children under five to below 0.1 per cent.
“With all hands on deck, the dream of attaining the global elimination target of the virus can be achieved,” he said.
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