Pakistan tops global hepatitis C burden: WHO Report 2026
Synopsis
The WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026 has singled out Pakistan as the world's largest contributor to hepatitis C cases — a damning finding tied to widespread unsafe injection practices, reusable and counterfeit syringes, rampant quackery, and systemic gaps in infection prevention across the country's healthcare settings.
Key Takeaways
Pakistan is named the single largest contributor to the global hepatitis C burden, per the WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026 .
Pakistan is also among the top 10 nations for hepatitis C-related deaths worldwide.
Globally, 287 million people lived with chronic hepatitis B or C in 2024 — 240 million with B and 47 million with C.
1.34 million deaths were recorded from hepatitis B and C in 2024, with hepatitis C alone claiming 240,000 lives .
Field reports found banned reusable syringes and fake auto-disable syringes being sold in Pakistani markets, fuelling transmission of hepatitis B, C, and HIV.
Health experts cite unnecessary injections , widespread quackery , and poor infection prevention in healthcare settings as key drivers.
Pakistan has been identified as the single largest contributor to the global number of people living with hepatitis C, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Hepatitis Report 2026. The country has also been named among the 10 nations with the highest hepatitis C-related deaths worldwide, raising urgent concerns over unsafe injection practices, reusable syringes, and weak infection prevention measures, as reported by local media.
Scale of the Global Hepatitis Burden
The WHO report underscores that hepatitis B and hepatitis C remain among the deadliest infections globally, despite being preventable and treatable — with hepatitis C also being curable. As of 2024, an estimated 287 million people worldwide were living with chronic hepatitis B or C, comprising 240 million with hepatitis B and 47 million with hepatitis C.
A total of 1.34 million deaths were recorded due to hepatitis B and C in 2024, including 1.1 million from hepatitis B and 240,000 from hepatitis C. The majority of fatalities were attributed to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Together, the two infections account for more than 95% of all viral hepatitis-related deaths globally.
Pakistan's Alarming Position
The WHO report stated that Pakistan
Point of View
Where quacks administer injections with reusable syringes as a matter of routine. What is striking is that hepatitis C is curable, meaning this burden is almost entirely preventable. The presence of counterfeit auto-disable syringes in open markets points to a regulatory failure that goes beyond health ministries into law enforcement and supply-chain oversight. Without a crackdown on unlicensed practitioners and a serious national syringe-safety programme, Pakistan risks entrenching a preventable epidemic for another generation.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Pakistan the largest contributor to global hepatitis C cases?
According to the WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026, Pakistan stands out as the single largest contributor to global hepatitis C infections, driven by unsafe medical practices, widespread use of reusable and counterfeit syringes, rampant quackery, and poor infection prevention in healthcare settings. These systemic gaps have enabled sustained community transmission of the virus.
How many people globally are living with hepatitis B and C?
As of 2024, approximately 287 million people worldwide were living with chronic hepatitis B or C — 240 million with hepatitis B and 47 million with hepatitis C, according to the WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2026.
How many deaths did hepatitis B and C cause in 2024?
Hepatitis B and C together caused 1.34 million deaths in 2024, with 1.1 million attributed to hepatitis B and 240,000 to hepatitis C. Most deaths resulted from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, and the two infections account for over 95% of all viral hepatitis-related deaths globally.
What specific practices are driving hepatitis C transmission in Pakistan?
Field reporting cited in the WHO findings and local media highlights the sale of banned reusable syringes and fake auto-disable syringes in Pakistani markets. These are reportedly used repeatedly by unqualified practitioners, fuelling transmission of hepatitis B, C, and HIV. Unnecessary injections and widespread quackery compound the risk.
Is hepatitis C curable, and what does that mean for Pakistan?
Yes, hepatitis C is curable with existing antiviral treatments, making Pakistan's position as the world's largest contributor to the disease's burden especially significant. Health experts argue the country's hepatitis C epidemic is largely preventable and treatable, and that stronger regulation, diagnosis, and treatment access could dramatically reduce the burden.
