July 07, 2017
Bulletin interne de l'Institut Pasteur
Viral hepatitis: the challenge of communicating effectively in Africa
In May 2016, WHO adopted a global strategy to eliminate hepatitis B and C by 2030. Based on anthropological analyses carried out by several African countries, a group of scientists, including some from the Institut Pasteur, have suggested that these elimination targets can only be achieved if communication on viral hepatitis is improved.
According to WHO figures, viral hepatitis claimed 1.34 million lives in 2015 (a number comparable with deaths from tuberculosis and higher than deaths from HIV), and around 328 million people worldwide are living with chronic hepatitis B or C. On the African continent, hepatitis B is particularly prevalent, with more than 8% of the adult population suffering from chronic infection.