Hepatitis B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection and is a major global health problem (according to the World Health Org). It can cause chronic infection and puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
A vaccine against hepatitis B has been available since 1982 and the vaccine is 95% effective in preventing infection and the development of chronic disease. Unfortunately, there is no health insurance in Ethiopia, one of the countries where Hepatitis B is most prevalent. Without health insurance covering the cost of the vaccine, the poverty stricken children of Ethiopia can’t possibly afford to be vaccinated without your support.
Thanks to you and your support, we were able to provide vaccinations to every child in the BCI program. We were also able to vaccinate all of the Blessing the Children and BCI Academy staff. We are so grateful for your support that made this possible.
With statistics like “80–90% of infants infected during the first year of life develop chronic infections” and “30–50% of children infected before the age of 6 years develop chronic infections”, we feel these vaccinations are a huge blessing and will go a long way to helping our kids stay healthy!
