South Africa National Viral Hepatitis Technical Working Group (National program)
Performance target additional info
90% reduction in incidence by 2030
Reduce hepatitis B infection rates in children to less than 2% by 2030
65% reduction in hepatitis B and C mortality by 2030
Summary and objectives
The National Viral Hepatitis Management Guidelines have been adopted and an action plan has been costed. A Technical working group has been constituted comprising 3 subcommittees to implement the guidelines:
1. HBV Birth Dose Sub-committee:
• Updating the EPI schedule, the National Indicator Data Sets, registers and data collection tools
• Developing field guide for training
• Training of Master Trainers (9 provinces)
• Conducting the cold chain audit
• Engaging external stakeholders
• Developing, printing and distributing IEC materials
• Distribute Vaccines & consumables at facilities
• Monitoring and supervision
• Introduce HBsAg screening into current antenatal program
2. Healthcare Worker Screening, Vaccination and Training program
• Raise awareness among health care workers of viral hepatitis burden and risk, and SA's new national guidelines for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
• Conduct national representative sero-surveys (institution, regional, provincial data) to establish reliable epidemiology data
• National Train-the-Trainer program in all 9 provinces - capacity building workshops included in training on dolutegravir
• Develop medical educational tools for health care workers and the public
• Develop and distribute easy-to-follow treatment algorithms
• Develop a national network of viral hepatitis treatment centers
3. Key Population program
• Establish screening and linkage to care programs to ensure all HCV and HBV positive individuals are linked to care – preferably at community based centres
• HBV vaccination as standard of care
• Establish DAA therapy as a form of prevention
• Motivate for the registration of DDA therapy
• Motivate for state-funded harm reduction services