Millions pledged to fight Africa’s ‘silent scourge’

An ambitious project to vaccinate all infants in Africa against viral hepatitis has received a R451m shot in the arm.

Zimbabwean industrialist Adam Molai announced this at the African Viral Hepatitis Convention, held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre  on May 15-18. The new campaign is aimed at eliminating the virus that attacks the liver and is responsible for high mortality on the continent. The project is the mass vaccination and detection of carriers of hepatitis B and C, diseases that are entirely preventable.

In Africa, only Egypt has come close to eliminating viral hepatitis, which it has accomplished through political will and funding vaccination and awareness campaigns.

The continent has about 602,000 of the 771,000 global viral hepatitis deaths, despite a single vaccination costing just 50c.

The disease is transmissible and asymptomatic in its initial stages, making it a silent and deadly killer. It is often passed from mother to foetus.

The lack of detection as children grow up drives the mortality rate. However, its prevalence can be dramatically reduced by inoculating newborns. Undetected in young people and adults, viral hepatitis progresses to various forms of cancer with an almost 100% fatality rate. Early detection is essential.

Lack of awareness, on an individual and population level, is the biggest challenge, making advocacy, awareness campaigns and detection via screening and testing vital.

Molai is the founder of TRT Investments, a diversified investment group with interests predominantly in manufacturing, bottling, property development and financial services across the continent. He announced the campaign, called “Hepbridge”, during the convention, which was hosted by the Gastroenterology & Hepatology Association of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Adam Molai Foundation seeds self-sustaining agricultural projects in Zimbabwe and has helped with several disaster relief efforts.

Molai told conference delegates that by next year, Africa would have the largest and youngest workforce in the world, with 70% of its population consisting of this youthful demographic.

I was even more astounded to learn that twice as many children are born with hepatitis than with HIV, yet the focus remains on HIV

—  Adam Molai

Viral hepatitis poses a major threat to economic stability and growth, in Africa and globally, with the continent a major supplier of raw materials needed for products, from cellphones to electric vehicles.

“Who mines our resources or grows our food if not for a healthy young African workforce? There is no business that can survive without customers and employees. If 70% of its customers are affected by this scourge and an unhealthy workforce curtails productivity and escalates health costs, it will affect global markets. From what I’ve learnt here, hepatitis kills more than HIV, TB, or malaria — and yet it lacks comparable funding.”

Molai said he was “shattered” to learn from epidemiologists and clinicians at the gathering how much of the global hepatitis burden Africa carries — and that only 20% of newborns in the region get the birth vaccination dose for hepatitis B.

“I was even more astounded to learn that twice as many children are born with hepatitis than with HIV, yet the focus remains on HIV. These figures are stark, demanding immediate action,” he said.

He said the drive has already engaged with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, “to see how we can collaborate on the post-vaccination journey in the countries we’re covering — as well as covering the 40% of births that happen out of hospitals”.

The countries being considered for Hepbridge are Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.

Prof Chris Kassianides, viral hepatitis convention organiser, said of the Hepbridge drive: “This is a huge breakthrough and will address the apathy that exists with regard to the screening, treatment and vaccination of all Africans on the continent.”

The drive is supported by the AU and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.