Sierra Leone to Provide Free Hepatitis B Vaccination to Over 355,000 Newborns in 2025

September 3, 2024

In a significant public health initiative, the government of Sierra Leone, with the support of international partners, has announced plans to administer over 457,000 doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine in 2025. This program aims to protect approximately 355,000 newborns across the country from Hepatitis B, a potentially life-threatening virus.

The vaccination will be given within 24 hours of birth, contributing to the improved coverage of other essential vaccines, such as the BCG vaccine. Desmond Maada Kangai, the Programme Manager for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), emphasized the vaccine's 98% effectiveness in preventing Hepatitis B and related liver diseases, including cancer.

The vaccination schedule consists of three doses, starting at birth, and can offer protection lasting up to 20 years or even a lifetime. Despite the high prevalence of Hepatitis B in Africa, by 2021, only 14 out of 47 African countries had introduced routine birth dose vaccinations, with only 18% of infants receiving the vaccine in 2022.

Dr. Kangai pointed out that increasing vaccination coverage could prevent 710,000 deaths among children born between 2020 and 2030, with 78% of these lives saved in Africa. This vaccination campaign aligns with the global goal, endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), to eliminate Hepatitis B as a public health threat by 2030, in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.