MoH, WHO LAUNCH BOLD INITIATIVE TO COMBAT HEPATITIS IN SIERRA LEONE

By Morlai Sesay

In commemoration of World Hepatitis Day, themed: “Break the Silence,” the Ministry of Health in (MOH), in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, has on Monday, 28^th July 2025 launched a bold initiative to combat hepatitis in the country.

The Ministry of Health has developed a National Hepatitis Policy and Strategy to guide the country's efforts in preventing and controlling hepatitis. This policy aims to strengthen the health system's capacity to deliver hepatitis services and reduce morbidity and mortality caused by the disease. The strategy targets a 50% reduction in viral hepatitis incidence by 2030, aligning with global goals. With 296 million people living with Hepatitis B globally, and 1.5 million deaths annually, this initiative is crucial for Sierra Leone. Staged at the ministry of health’s conference hall, Youyi building Freetown, the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sartie Kenneh, updated pressmen that nearly 200,000 people in Sierra Leone are currently living with Hepatitis C. Dr. Kenneh described the occasion as a key moment to communicate and educate the public about Hepatitis B and C, which he referred to as “silent diseases.” He noted that the burden of hepatitis in Sierra Leone surpasses that of HIV, tuberculosis, and cancer combined. “Sierra Leone has recorded over one million people infected with viral hepatitis,” he said. “Close to 200,000 of them are living with Hepatitis C alone.” He emphasized that in past years, the national focus had been more on HIV despite it having fewer than 100,000 infected individuals while Hepatitis B and C have continued to spread largely unnoticed.

Dr. Kenneh pointed out that hepatitis often remains undiagnosed for years. “Many people are infected but are unaware,” he said, explaining that some acquire the disease in childhood, only for it to manifest later in adulthood. He added that Hepatitis B is a major cause of liver cancer, and that the disease has an incubation period of 10 to 20 years. He announced that the Ministry of Health has launched a dedicated program aimed at preventing and treating hepatitis and has developed a strategic framework in collaboration with partners. The goal is to eliminate Hepatitis B and C by 2030.

According to Dr. Kenneh, the strategy includes identifying newborns and infected individuals, aiming to reduce the national hepatitis prevalence from 13.8% to under 500,000 cases by 2030. “To achieve this,” he said, “we need to diagnose over 90% of the people living with hepatitis.” He urged all Sierra Leoneans to visit public health facilities for screening and testing, assuring them that effective treatment options are available. He also revealed that the Ministry has testing kits capable of screening for both HIV and hepatitis simultaneously.

Dr. Sulaiman Lakoh, Director of Disease Prevention, highlighted the progress made in efforts to eradicate Hepatitis B and C. He explained that the National Hepatitis B and C Guidelines offer comprehensive insight into treatment protocols and preventive measures for those at risk. Dr. Lakoh stated that the Ministry will roll out baseline indicators nationwide to ensure the effective implementation of the new guidelines. He added that vaccines for Hepatitis B and C have already been introduced by the government. Andrew Sorie, Senior Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, reaffirmed the government's strong commitment to eliminating Hepatitis B and C in Sierra Leone.

This initiative aligns with the WHO's Global Health Sector Strategy on Viral Hepatitis, which aims to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. The strategy includes targets for reducing new infections and deaths, and Sierra Leone's initiative is a step towards achieving these global goals. Overall, the Ministry of Health and WHO's initiative to combat hepatitis in Sierra Leone is a comprehensive effort to address the disease's impact on the country's population. By developing a national policy and strategy, strengthening healthcare systems, and promoting partnerships, Sierra Leone is working towards reducing the burden of hepatitis and achieving global health goals.