Chronic hepatitis B is a major public health burden in most LMICscontributing to unnecessary suffering from liver failure and liver cancer leading to loss of life. Treatment is highly effective, safe, and affordable.   Simplified treatment algorithms along with access to cheaper diagnostics and antiviral therapy has provided a pathway for the expansion of treatment.

Professor Alice Lee, based at Concord Hospital, Sydney, Australia,  is international authority on viral hepatitis and the implementation of effective treatment programs across LMICs.  Her organisation’s website, hepatitisBfree has a wealth of extensive guidelines including the algorithm below that derives from WHO treatment and care guidelines and  the Asian consensus recommendations.

She has recently published this review which is important reading :  Hepatitis D Review: Challenges for the Resource-Poor Setting .  Hepatitis Delta is also an incredibly important issue for you to address / understand in your setting as its incidence will influence the impact of Hepatitis B treatment approaches.  Here are the take home messages from Prof. Lee et al.: