“We must take this tremendous opportunity to save Africa’s future generations from unnecessary
losses and suffering from hepatitis B.”
Although it is mostly eradicated from the rest of the world, many countries in Africa continue to face high levels of Hepatitis B, or HBV. HBV affects the liver and can cause complications such as liver cancer or failure later in life. One in four children infected with HBV at birth are at risk of a premature death. Infections primarily spread from mother to child during birth, so the most effective preventative measures focus on pregnant women and newborns. There is a Hepatitis B vaccine that is very effective, but only one in five newborns in Africa receive the vaccine. Education efforts are also incredibly important. Many Africans are unaware of both the dangers of an HBV infection, and the benefits and efficacy of the vaccine. In addition to this, screening pregnant women to identify those who are positive for Hepatitis B is very effective. These women can be given an antiviral medication that reduces the chances of transmission during childbirth.The newborn can then also be vaccinated within 12-24 hours of birth, in order to maximize the efficacy of the vaccine. Screening pregnant women also allows these women and their families to receive HBV care. Between education efforts to increase awareness about HBV and the vaccine, as well as preventative screenings of pregnant women, HBV levels can be prevented in the next generation of Africans.
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