About us
Currently 257 million people live with hepatitis B.
In Uganda approximately 1.9 million people live with hepatitis B.
There is no cure for hepatitis B but effects can be suppressed with nutritional balance and oval antiviral medicines such as tenofovir should the disease reach chronic stage.
After the initial tests that confirm the diagnosis of hepatitis B, a number of subsequent tests have to be done to determine whether the infection is a cute, chronic, fulminant etc.
The common symptoms of hepatitis B include malaise, yellowing of eyes, dark urine, sickness and abdominal pain.
The disease is transmitted via exposure to blood or other bodily fluids.
Due to knowledge gaps within the population, not so much is known about this disease and too many, the infection takes them by surprise.
The absence of facilities (especially laboratory facilities for the tests) and technical personal to counsel and manage these patients at lower level health facilities is a major bottle neck in management of these patients.
Most of them are referred to regional referred hospitals and national referral hospitals.
Most of these people give up due to lack of transport to referral sites, uncertainty about expectations and the long writing time at referral hospitals.
The World health organization (WHO) set a target as part of first Global Health Sector strategy on viral hepatitis 2016 – 2020 for 30% of HBV infected individuals to diagnosed by 2020 and 90% by 2023.
Although Uganda has reached 30% target set by WHO and has taken a decision to vaccinate all adults against the disease, there three vaccines. Most people end up receiving only one dose which gives them partial protection.
There is a huge need to invest in community mobilization and a awareness raising so that people will actively seek a diagnosis and return for vaccination doses.
Stigma and myths about hepatitis have led to avoidance of testing.
There are very few implementation partners so the funding in this area is still lacking.
As hands for hepatitis B, we are looking for partners who can help us make an impact to this effect.
- We want to improve on the community mobilization and information flow to be able to demystify the myths.
- Improve uptake of vaccination services especially the second and third doses,
- Encourage testing and provide testing services
- Improve on the linkage and management of Hepatitis B positive patients.
- Help the people living with hepatitis B to have income generating activities that can help them to have good nutrition, afford money for tests and transport to referral sites.
