3 million Ghanaians living with hepatitis B - GHS

Ghana faces a significant public health challenge with an estimated three million people living with chronic hepatitis B, yet a mere one percent have received a diagnosis. This low diagnostic rate drastically misses the World Health Organization's 2030 goal, which aims for 90% of individuals living with chronic viral hepatitis to be diagnosed and 80% to be on treatment. Health authorities report that less than one percent of diagnosed hepatitis B patients in Ghana are currently receiving treatment, a situation they state is leading to preventable deaths and severe liver complications.

Dr. John Gerald Adiiboka, Programme Manager of the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), highlighted these figures during the commemoration of World Hepatitis Day in Accra. He noted that hepatitis B-related deaths rose from 15,443 in 2024 to approximately 16,000 in 2025. Additionally, about 500,000 people are living with hepatitis C, with deaths increasing from around 2,040 in 2024 to approximately 2,086 in 2025. Dr. Adiiboka explained that many people are unaware they have viral hepatitis because the disease is often asymptomatic, with individuals only seeking medical help when their liver is already severely damaged.

The northern regions of Ghana, particularly Savannah, Northern, Upper West, and Upper East, show the highest prevalence rates of viral hepatitis. Mother-to-child transmission is a major factor, accounting for about 95% of hepatitis B infections in the country. Despite these challenges, Ghana is making progress in preventing new infections. The coverage rate for the third dose of the hepatitis B vaccine among infants has reached about 95%, surpassing the WHO target of 90%. Plans are also underway to implement a nationwide hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination program to protect newborns immediately after birth, considered a highly cost-effective intervention against future infections and liver cancer.

Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, reaffirmed the government's commitment to intensifying efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat. He emphasized the continuation of vaccination programs to reduce infections. Achieving the WHO's hepatitis elimination targets by 2030 will require increased investment in testing, treatment, and surveillance, alongside the implementation of a national hepatitis control policy and sustained political commitment.

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Most people living with viral hepatitis in Ghana do not know they have the disease because it is largely asymptomatic. Many only report to the hospital when the liver has already been severely damaged.