World: Peer Learning Drives Africa’s Fight Against Viral Hepatitis

Country: World Source: Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Cairo, Egypt, 26 June 2026 – Programme managers from nine African Union (AU) Member States completed the latest five-day peer learning workshop, strengthening their technical and operational capacity in viral hepatitis prevention and control. This brings the total to 132 programme managers from 32 AU Member States, trained across five cohorts under an initiative funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The initiative focuses on strengthening national hepatitis prevention, diagnosis, treatment and surveillance systems through peer-to-peer learning and the exchange of best practices, contributing to continental efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Viral hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by viral infection, often progressing silently with few early symptoms such as fatigue, fever, nausea, abdominal pain and jaundice. If undiagnosed or untreated, it can lead to severe liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer and death, making it a significant public health threat across Africa. In response, the African Union and Africa CDC are supporting Member States to scale up evidence-based prevention, diagnosis and treatment efforts in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) 2030 hepatitis elimination targets. The workshop, held in Cairo from 20–25 June, brought together 24 programme managers from the Central African Republic, Gabon, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia. Organised in partnership with Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population, it provided a structured exchange on Egypt’s hepatitis C response, which in 2023 became the first in the world to achieve the WHO’s Gold Tier status on the path to hepatitis C elimination. “Through this training, Africa CDC continues to empower Member States with the tools and knowledge to eliminate viral hepatitis, ” said Dr Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director General. Programme managers examined Egypt’s 12-pillar hepatitis elimination framework, focusing on implementation approaches, health system integration and adaptation to national contexts. A field visit to a pharmaceutical facility in Alexandria provided practical exposure to the production of local hepatitis medicines. “Health security in Africa is a shared responsibility. Egypt is committed to standing by our sister nations and to translating our national success in hepatitis elimination into practical, adaptable solutions, ” said Pr. Mohamed Hassany, who is the Minister’s Assistant for Projects and Public Health Initiatives at Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population. “In partnership with Africa CDC, we are moving beyond treating diseases to building sustainable health systems and lasting capacity, ” he added. KOICA emphasised the importance of sustained investment in resilient health systems and peer learning across countries. “Despite the many challenges the world is facing today, we must not lose sight of the importance of building stronger and more resilient health systems. We hope the knowledge shared through this workshop will be applied in each Member State, contributing to efforts to reduce hepatitis B and C, ” said Ms Sun Kyung Park, Deputy Country Director of KOICA Ethiopia. ### About KOICA The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is the Republic of Korea’s official development cooperation agency. It provides grant assistance to partner countries to support sustainable development, strengthen institutions, and improve the well-being of communities worldwide. About Africa CDC The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is the public health agency of the African Union. As an autonomous institution, Africa CDC supports AU Member States in strengthening health systems, improving disease surveillance, and enhancing emergency preparedness and response. For more information, visit: http: //www. africacdc. org and follow Africa CDC on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube. Media Contact: Saran Koly Director of Communications and Spokesperson, Africa CDC | +251 98 434 6488 kolys@africacdc. org

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