Progress towards the global goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030 is off track.

Viral hepatitis remains a leading global health problem, despite the availability (since the 1990s) of a hepatitis B vaccine that has 95% efficacy, effective (although lifelong) antiviral treatments for chronic HBV infection and (since 2015) a 12-week antiviral treatment for HCV infection that has a 95% cure rate.

Globally in 2024, an estimated 1.1 million people (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 0.9–1.3 million) died from HBV-related cirrhosis and liver cancer, a 17% increase compared with 2015; 240 000 people (95% UI: 160 000–370 000) died from HCV-related cirrhosis and liver cancer, a reduction of 12% compared with 2015.