Webinar | Progress towards the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B: Strategies, achievements and challenges

Date and time

🗓️ Wednesday, 30 April 🕚 10:00 a.m. (EDT)

Where?

Register here

 (Languages: English, Portuguese and Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation)

The World Health Organization estimates that, in 2022, 254 million people were chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis worldwide. Of this total, 5 million cases were reported in the Region of the Americas. About 1.2 million new infections occur each year, and approximately 1.1 million people die from these diseases, including some 20,000 in our region.

Most chronic infections are acquired through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) or horizontal transmission during childhood, and are preventable through hepatitis B vaccination, which includes one dose at birth (HepB-BD), followed by 2 to 3 additional doses (HepB3) in childhood.

The Pan American Health Organization's (PAHO) IMR elimination strategy for HBV infection aims to reduce chronic HBV infection (as measured by hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] seroprevalence) to ≤0.1% among children by achieving:

1. coverage of ≥95% with the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine (HepB-BD) and with the 2-3 additional doses (HepB3); and
2. Ensuring that pregnant women are tested for HBsAg, with provision of hepatitis B immune globulin to HBV-exposed newborns.

The Region has made great strides in vaccination efforts since hepatitis B vaccines were first introduced. Every country and territory have included hepatitis B vaccine in their vaccination schedule for children, and 27 of the 35 member countries have included newborn doses of hepatitis B vaccine.

In the framework of the Disease Elimination Initiative 2030 and Vaccination Week of the Americas 2025, this webinar will provide a platform to share updates on the status of the region and national hepatitis B elimination programs, as well as some of the challenges and opportunities to achieve the goals.

Audience

This event is aimed at health professionals, policy makers, and organizations working in hepatitis B control in the Americas.

Agenda