World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, which causes inflammation of the liver that leads to severe disease and liver cancer. In Rwanda, the World Health Organization (WHO) joined the government and other development partners in commemorating the day.

The global theme, “Bringing hepatitis care closer to the communities” highlights the need to simplify and bring Hepatitis care to primary health facilities and community-based venues beyond hospital sites so that care is closer to people wherever they are. Considering the progress, the country has made, the national theme, “Rwanda Cares: The Last Mile Towards Hepatitis Elimination”, is most appropriate.

Officiating the ceremony held in the capital Kigali, Health Minister Dr Daniel Ngamije highlighted the country’s momentum towards eliminating hepatitis. “We are on track for hepatitis elimination. To date, progress made in the development of new Hepatitis C therapeutics assures that Hepatitis C can be easily diagnosed and treated using simplified methods,” expressed Minister Ngamije.

In 2011, the viral hepatitis program was established under the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) through the HIV-AIDS, STIs, and OBBI Division. The priority was to develop guidelines for hepatitis management in line with WHO recommendations. In 2013, the government published its first viral hepatitis Policy and Guidelines, providing clear guidance on governance and leadership as well as diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

By 2018, Rwanda celebrated a great win in the fight against Viral Hepatitis with the elimination of Viral Hepatitis C which was to be followed by the elimination of viral hepatitis B. To achieve the set goal, the country focused on Hepatitis C and B testing and treatment in the general population with a focus on pregnant women. The country equally undertook Hepatitis B immunization as well as Blood safety, injection safety, and harm reduction efforts.

Speaking at the ceremony, WHO Representative to Rwanda Dr Brian Chirombo commended Rwanda for the major progress toward Viral Hepatitis C elimination. He said: “I would like to congratulate the government for putting in place an exemplary and successful viral hepatitis elimination program that is a model for other countries to follow. Rwanda has the potential to become the first Sub-Saharan African country to achieve viral hepatitis C elimination.”

Dr Chirombo also reiterated WHO’s commitment to supporting the government’s efforts toward the elimination of Viral Hepatitis. In recognition of the good progress the country is making, Rwanda is one of seven countries selected from all six WHO regions, to pilot the validation of Viral Hepatitis elimination as a public health threat. This pilot focuses on measuring progress towards the attainment of both programmatic targets (prevention, testing, and treatment), impact targets (incidence and mortality) as well as, and assessing the feasibility of measurement of those said targets. The findings from the pilot, which were presented in June 2022 during the World Hepatitis Summit, have shown that it is feasible to track progress towards the elimination of viral hepatitis.

Globally, WHO aims to achieve hepatitis elimination by 2030 through specific targets.   These include:

• Reduction of new infections of Hepatitis B and C by 90%
• Reduction of Hepatitis related deaths from liver cirrhosis and cancer by 65%
• Ensure that at least 90% of people with Hepatitis B and C virus are diagnosed
• At least 80% of those eligible receive appropriate treatment.