Fighting viral hepatitis B and C in Africa Focus on Benin

Despite the existence of effective means of fighting viral hepatitis B and C, they remain one of the leading causes of death in sub-Saharan Africa. The failure to take these diseases into account in national health policies in most African countries has resulted in a scarcity of information campaigns and actions for prevention, the unavailability of epidemiological indicators and data for action, and a lack both of policies to screen patients and refer them for follow-up or treatment and of training programs for health professionals in managing hepatitis. Awareness by countries and the international community is absolutely necessary to make the fight against hepatitis a public health priority. Beyond a noticeable decrease in the prevalence of hepatitis B and C and primary liver cancer, the final target is the eradication of hepatitis B, the leading cause of liver cancer worldwide, through universal vaccination of newborns within 24 hours of birth.