How many Indians live with chronic hepatitis?
Last content review 2026-09-23
The short answer
WHO India estimates that approximately 40 million people in India are chronically infected with hepatitis B and approximately 6–12 million are chronically infected with hepatitis C. These are national burden estimates from an undated WHO India topic page, accessed in September 2026—not a count of diagnosed cases.
What is happening?
Hepatitis B and C viruses can remain in the body as chronic infections and cause continuing liver inflammation over many years.
That ongoing injury can contribute to fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. Progression is not inevitable and differs between individuals.
Many people may not know they are infected, so burden estimates are larger than the number of already diagnosed patients.
Why does this matter?
Hepatitis B vaccination can prevent new infections, while testing and medical care can identify who may benefit from monitoring or treatment.
Hepatitis C can often be cured with antiviral medicines; chronic hepatitis B can be monitored and treated, although current treatment does not cure every person.
What does the evidence say?
WHO India’s undated Hepatitis topic page, accessed in September 2026, gives the estimates of 40 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B and 6–12 million with hepatitis C in India.
The same WHO India page explains that viral hepatitis can progress to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis or liver cancer.
These figures describe estimated population burden. They should not be combined into a single prevalence percentage or used to infer an individual diagnosis.
Key takeaway
Chronic hepatitis B and C affect millions of people in India; testing and individual medical advice matter because effective prevention, monitoring and treatment options exist.
Sources & references
World Health Organization India
Hepatitis topic page (accessed September 2026) · Official health information
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This page is general health education. It is not a diagnosis, and it cannot replace advice from your treating doctor. Never start or stop a prescribed medicine based on what you read here.
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