Hepatitis B: an extra punishment after sexual assault

1 year after our first shot against hepatitis B, hundreds of families have already been helped

In our country, hepatitis B is quietly a forgotten disease. But worldwide, the liver infection is claiming more and more lives, even so many that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently sounded the alarm about it.

The virus is also transmitted through sexual contact, so unfortunately many women in eastern Congo are infected with it after being raped. Subsequently, the disease is often transmitted from mother to baby Especially in remote areas, few women are vaccinated.

That is why Mamas for Africa launched its own vaccination campaign last year. Such a shot is only small, but it makes a world of difference, our nurse Salima knows.

(read more below the photo)

Salima, why is this campaign neCessary?

‘At our centre, women can receive care after sexual violence, but until last year they still had to collect their vaccine against hepatitis B themselves at the Panzi Hospital. However, this cost them a lot of time and energy. They were often on the road for days and then also had to queue at the hospital for days on end. Therefore, many women collected only one vaccine, despite needing three to be fully protected.

How to tackle that now?

‘Together with my colleagues Nicole and Furaha, I now give the vaccinations myself at our reception points spread throughout eastern Congo. This is a game-changer for many women.

What are the results?

‘Whereas before they lost almost a whole week due to transport and queues, now the vaccination is done in a jiffy. So the first year has been a great success.

We have already administered hundreds of vaccinations. With this, we are not only helping raped women, but their entire families. That is fantastic.