On Mar. 10, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) released landmark Consolidated guidance and implementation handbook on hepatitis B and C, to support countries to expand prevention, testing, treatment, service delivery and programme monitoring, through a comprehensive public health approach.

Marking 10 years since the adoption of WHO’s first Global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis, the handbook brings together more than a decade of WHO evidence-based recommendations on viral hepatitis into a single, practical reference for programme managers, policymakers, clinicians, donors and partners. It provides clear operational guidance in one place to translate normative recommendations into action. It also supports the integration of hepatitis services within primary health care and universal health coverage platforms.

Viral hepatitis remains a major health challenge. WHO estimates that 254 million people are living with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C. In 2022, hepatitis related cirrhosis and liver cancer caused 1.3 million deaths- equivalent to more than 3500 deaths each day – making hepatitis B and C among the leading infectious diseases worldwide with rising mortality This underscores the urgent need to take action now and accelerate progress towards the 2030 hepatitis elimination goal.

Despite the availability of highly effective tools for prevention, testing and treatment – including a cure for hepatitis C and a vaccine and effective treatment for hepatitis B – viral hepatitis continues to cause substantial preventable morbidity and mortality from liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer. 

WHO is working with countries and partners to scale uptake of this new handbook to ensure equitable, integrated and person-centred hepatitis services and to accelerate progress towards elimination by 2030.