Cuba's achievements in the fight against hepatitis B highlighted
- Written by Redacción ¡ahora!
- Published in Health
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This July 28, when World Hepatitis Day is commemorated worldwide, Cuba stands out as a successful example in the control and potential elimination of this disease in children through the use of Heberbiovac HB, a nationally produced recombinant vaccine that has demonstrated high immunogenicity and efficacy.
According to the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, in its account on X, since 1999 there have been no reported cases of acute hepatitis B in children under 5 years of age, and since 2006, no cases in children under 15 years of age, a direct result of systematic vaccination from birth.
This disease, which has a high prevalence worldwide, causes approximately 1.1 million deaths each year, mainly from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Globally, only 46% of the population is vaccinated, and the WHO is aiming for 90% by 2030 in order to eliminate the disease. The most affected regions are the Western Pacific, Africa, and Southeast Asia. (Source: Granma)
