Hepatitis E cases have been reported in Bentiu, South Sudan since 2014, however, the current surge in cases began in July 2021. Since then, 667 patients have been confirmed to have contracted hepatitis E, of whom 13 have tragically died. Worryingly, the outbreak is continuing to escalate in terms of transmission and severity. Since 2022, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has witnessed on average one person with hepatitis E dying per week, indicating a concerningly high mortality rate.
In response to the current hepatitis E outbreak in Bentiu, MSF is supporting the South Sudan Ministry of Health (MoH) to implement a “ground-breaking” hepatitis E vaccination campaign, vaccinating approximately 24,500 people.
On Tuesday 22 March 2022, the MoH and MSF started the first round of the hepatitis E vaccinations, which concluded on the 30 March. Second and third doses will be rolled out over the coming months. This is the first time this vaccine is being used in a mass vaccination campaign and during an active outbreak of hepatitis E. It is hoped that it will help to reduce morbidity and mortality of people living in the camp, and serve as an example for other governments dealing with outbreaks of hepatitis E in their own contexts.
Read the full story https://msf.or.ke/en/magazine/south-sudan-msf-and-ministry-health-implement-hepatitis-e-vaccination-campaign-bentiu
