Egypt Becomes First African Country to Achieve Control of Hepatitis B
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Roshan Amiri
- . June 2, 2025
- . Update: June 2, 2025 6:49 pm
Egypt is the first African country to achieve the World Health Organization‘s goal of hepatitis B control. This announcement was made by Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, during a press conference on Egypt’s progress in national hepatitis B-related immunizations.
Achieving control of hepatitis B infection was accomplished through the inclusion of the hepatitis B vaccine in Egypt’s immunization schedule, whereby more than 95% of children have received hepatitis B vaccinations prior to age five. WHO’s definition of “control” is that hepatitis B infection should be demonstrated below 0.1% in children more than 5 years.
The Minister indicated that illness associated with hepatitis B infection is well understood in Egypt as a result of critical and collaborative national engagement, including raising health education and improving vaccine coverage at a primary healthcare level. He also mentioned that it is due to beneficial engagement with health providers and public responsiveness. Egypt gave the hepatitis B vaccine as part of routine immunization since 1992, and increased coverage, both in urban and rural areas. The next phase of national engagement for improved health can build upon this success, in the area of eliminating hepatitis C in Egypt and ensuring positive public health. This milestone constitutes a remarkable situation in and of itself and serves as an example for other African countries willing to fight against viral hepatitis. The International Health bodies have praised Egypt’s ambitious effort to eliminate hepatitis B as a model for other areas of the region to follow in order to reduce the disease transmission risk.
