Our objectives are:

• Sensitize the populations on the factors of contamination and the modes of prevention of viral hepatitis;
• Raise awareness of the risks involved in the event of illness;
• Motivate the population to vaccination against viral hepatitis B;
• Listening to people with viral hepatitis.

In Côte d'Ivoire, the prevalence rates of hepatitis B (12%) and C (4%) are higher than that of HIV AIDS (2.6%). And today, these infections constitute a real public health problem comparable to that posed by other major pandemics such as HIV, tuberculosis or malaria. In fact, viral hepatitis B and C are the leading causes of cirrhosis and liver cancer in Côte d'Ivoire. Primary liver cancer is the third cancer after breast and prostate in our country, and the second male cancer. Likewise, the ignorance of viral hepatitis and the ignorance of populations of their serological status also expose them to the major consequences of these diseases, which are cirrhosis and primary liver cancers.

Convinced that fighting a disease is first and foremost knowing it, the NGO SOS Hépatites Côte d´Ivoire (Sosheparci), therefore deemed it useful and necessary to undertake a vast awareness and information campaign on viral hepatitis. The aim is to achieve by individual and collective efforts, and with sufficient determination, the elimination of viral hepatitis as a serious threat to public health. The campaign will take place in Abidjan and the interior of the country and will run until 2030.

We are trying, in different environments, through local communication (awareness, information and screening campaigns) to reduce the incidence of viral hepatitis and their complications.

Success and challenges

* As a success: we manage to raise awareness and inform more and more people about viral hepatitis and to make them accept the screening for viral hepatitis B and C.  In general, today, the number of people screened is very substantially equal to the number of people sensitized, and we systematically refer positive subjects (HBV + and HCV +), to specialists (hepatologists) for rapid medical treatment. in order to avoid serious complications related to these diseases. Similarly, we intervene with certain pharmaceutical laboratories to reduce the cost of the drug, particularly with regard to HCV, and at the level of medical analysis laboratories to reduce the cost of additional examinations or follow-up of patients, by regarding HBV as HCV.

We followed 30 HCV patients until their complete recovery: obtaining a reduction in the cost of the drug and follow-up examinations.

In 2020, we signed a memorandum of understanding with the Center for Support, Research and Training (CePReF), located within the general hospital of Yopougon Attié, in Abidjan, in the Ivory Coast. Through this agreement, patients benefit from a significant reduction in the cost of drugs and examinations related to viral hepatitis B and C. Through this agreement, also, Sosheparci undertakes to support CePReF in building the capacity of its medical and laboratory staff in the management of Viral B and C hepatitis.

*Our major challenges:

1. Obtaining a significant reduction in the cost of the drug for HCV (279 USD / month x 3 or x 6) and that of additional examinations or patient monitoring for HBV and HCV, because they are expensive and are a major obstacle for patients. Hence the finding of a dropout rate of 54%.
2. The establishment of medical laboratories in the country's major cities in order to facilitate access to healthcare for patients who are forced to make long journeys to Abidjan with all the inconvenience this causes;
3. Capacity Buildings of health care workers in health centers on the modes of transmission, prevention, signs and complications of viral hepatitis (general practitioners, gynecologists, pediatricians, midwives, nurses, nurses, pharmacists, social workers) in order to make up for the lack of hepatologists on the national territory. ;
4. Organizing awareness, information and screening campaigns against viral hepatitis in the interior of the country;
5. The lack of financial means and mission vehicle which seriously handicaps us in the organization of our campaigns.

Passage de la Caravane Santé Côte d'Ivoire organisée par l'association Santé en Entreprise (SEE) du 9 au 14 décembre 2019; Passage chez CEMOI Côte d'Ivoire, Zone Industrielle Yopougon. Sensibilisation et dépistage Multimaladies. Hépatites B et C, VIH. Tuberculose, Diabète,