The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged African governments to strengthen national hepatitis programmes and expand access to vaccination, testing, and treatment, warning that millions of people across the continent continue to miss out on life-saving services despite the availability of effective interventions.
In a statement issued ahead of World Hepatitis Day, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, said viral hepatitis remains a major public health challenge across the region, even though new hepatitis B infections declined by 25 per cent between 2015 and 2024.
Mr Janabi noted that while effective vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments are available, many people are still diagnosed too late or cannot access care, leading to preventable deaths.
“No one should die from a disease that can be prevented, diagnosed and, in many cases, treated,” he said.
He called on governments, development partners, health workers,
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