The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has marked World Hepatitis Day 2026 with a renewed commitment to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030, unveiling a National Viral Hepatitis Technical Working Group and appointing musician Okyeame Kwame as the country's National Hepatitis Ambassador.

The event, held under the theme "Hepatitis: Let's Break It Down," brought together policymakers, health professionals, development partners and civil society organisations to strengthen Ghana's response to viral hepatitis, a disease estimated to affect about 10 per cent of the population.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Minister for Health, the Chief Director of the Ministry, Desmond Boateng, described hepatitis as a major public health challenge requiring sustained national action.

He said the government would scale up key interventions, including the nationwide rollout of the Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine to protect newborns from infection.

Mr Boateng also urged Ghanaians to undergo regular hepatitis screening, stressing that early diagnosis and treatment remain critical to reducing infections and achieving the country's target of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030.

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, highlighted ongoing efforts to integrate hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment into primary healthcare services across the country.

Health experts at the event disclosed that an estimated three million Ghanaians are living with Hepatitis B, while more than 500,000 are infected with Hepatitis C, underscoring the need for intensified public education and improved access to healthcare services.

A key highlight of the commemoration was the appointment of award-winning musician Okyeame Kwame as National Hepatitis Ambassador in recognition of his more than 15 years of advocacy and free hepatitis screening campaigns.

As part of his renewed campaign, the musician unveiled a new awareness song aimed at encouraging more people to get tested and helping to reduce the stigma associated with the disease.

Development partners and private sector stakeholders also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ghana's hepatitis elimination agenda by expanding access to screening, vaccination and treatment services nationwide.