Treat Patients with Life-Saving Hepatitis B Meds

Dear friends:

We continue to be grateful for your support and prayers for our programs and for those who suffer from the ravages of viral hepatitis.  We are excited about our ongoing projects as well as new collaborations that are unfolding.  We have seen increased interest in collaborative projects in countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands. 

Since our last report in June, teams from HBF travelled to South Tarawa and to Kiritimati Island in the country of Kiribati.  During the two week trips we tested and treated hundreds of patients; educated health care workers; strengthened our maternal to child prevention program; held discussions with international donors and partners, health ministry and local hospital officials; provided general medicine consultations in the national referral hospital; and worked to improve the electronic health record system.  We were also able to secure funding for a full-time community health care worker who will provide much needed support for our over-committed hepatitis program manager.  We have another team ready to return to Kiribati in October.  Over a two-week period we will be working in clinics on the main island of South Tarawa and will also be providing imaging, testing, and clinical support to two of the outer islands, North Tarawa and Abaiang.  Another major objective will be to trial new point of care hepatitis D test kits that are being developed.  Because of the high rates of hepatitis B/D coinfection in Kiribati, these tests have the potential to be game changers.  Later this month we will make a presentation at an Australian gastroenterology conference describing the success of our Kiribati community volunteer program and its positive effects on adherence.

A team will also travel to the island nation of Tuvalu in October to initiate a treatment program there.  We have already sent anti-viral medications for patients on the island who have tested positive for hepatitis B.  Preparations are being made to re-start our program in Tonga, including one of its outer islands.  In Mongolia, we are working with other American non-governmental organizations and the Ministry of Health to study the prevalence of hepatitis B and D in one of the rural provinces.  A HBF team plans to return to Mongolia next year.  Our nascent project in Madagascar continues to slowly progress as we gather data and seek approval for the importation of anti-viral medications and birth dose hepatitis B vaccines.  We have been very impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of our local partners in Madagascar.

We are actively seeking funding for our projects by applying for grants from governments, foundations, NGO’s and private donors.  The current political climate has made this more challenging.  Whenever an opportunity arises, the HBF team brings attention to the global hepatitis crisis.  Within the next month team members will be presenting at three international conferences.

We are grateful to each one of you for your spiritual and monetary support.  You are the unsung heroes who make our work possible.

Sincerely,

David Hilmers