The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, has called on governments, development partners, health workers and communities to intensify efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis, stressing that no one should die from a disease that is preventable, diagnosable and, in many cases, treatable.
In his message marking World Hepatitis Day 2026, observed under the theme, “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” Dr Janabi urged countries across the African Region to dismantle the barriers that continue to limit access to lifesaving hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment services.
He noted that while new hepatitis B infections in the WHO African Region declined by 25 per cent between 2015 and 2024, millions of people still lack timely diagnosis, treatment and care, resulting in thousands of preventable deaths each year.
According to him, the tools needed to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat are already available. These include a highly effective hepatitis B vaccine, reliable diagnostic tests, curative treatment for hepatitis C, and lifelong treatment for hepatitis B that can prevent severe complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Dr Janabi emphasized that expanding access to these services through stronger primary health care systems would save lives, reduce the long-term burden on health systems and accelerate progress toward universal health coverage.
He said the challenge is no longer scientific but lies in mobilizing political commitment, increasing investment and ensuring equitable access so that everyone can benefit from proven interventions.
The WHO Regional Director highlighted Africa’s recent achievements in scaling up the universal hepatitis B birth dose vaccine, advancing the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, and pioneering hepatitis C elimination pathways. He described these milestones as evidence of what sustained political commitment, investment and partnerships can achieve.
However, he stressed that these gains must be expanded and sustained across all 47 WHO African Region Member States.
Dr Janabi also expressed concern that many people living with viral hepatitis remain unaware of their status, with delayed diagnosis often resulting in patients seeking medical care only after developing serious liver disease. He added that limited access to testing and treatment, particularly in underserved communities, as well as stigma and low public awareness, continue to hamper elimination efforts.
To address these challenges, he called for hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment services to be fully integrated into routine primary health care throughout people’s lives. He also underscored the need for continued investment in research and innovation to improve access to new diagnostic tools and treatments, including for hepatitis B and hepatitis D co-infection.
As part of the World Hepatitis Day commemoration, Dr Janabi urged Member States to strengthen national hepatitis programmes, expand vaccination, testing and treatment services, and place communities at the centre of elimination efforts. He also appealed to development partners to sustain the technical and financial support needed to help countries achieve the global target of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030.
Reaffirming WHO’s commitment, Dr Janabi said the organization would continue working closely with Member States to strengthen health systems, expand equitable access to hepatitis services and support country-led initiatives.
“Together, we can prevent new infections, save lives and ensure that viral hepatitis is no longer a barrier to healthier lives for the people of Africa,” he said.
