Coalition Against Hepatitis for People of African Origin (CHIPO)
The Coalition Against Hepatitis for People of African Origin (CHIPO) is a community coalition co-founded and led by the Hepatitis B Foundation. We are comprised of organizations and individuals interested in addressing the high rates of hepatitis B infection among African communities around the world. CHIPO serves as a forum for sharing information and best practices and increasing national capacity to improve hepatitis B awareness, testing, vaccination and treatment among highly affected African communities.
People of African origin are disproportionately affected by hepatitis B infection. In fact, in some African communities in the U.S., between 5% and 15% of people have chronic HBV infection. Unfortunately, due to the silent nature of the disease, lack of disease awareness, and limited health care access, most African community members who have hepatitis B DO NOT KNOW that they are infected. This puts them at much greater risk for premature death from cirrhosis or liver cancer.
The key to addressing the high burden of hepatitis B infection in people of African origin is to improve awareness and access to hepatitis B information, screening, vaccination, and follow-up care. CHIPO brings together people from around the world who are working in their own local communities to address these very issues.
View our latest webinar!
In this webinar, we were joined by Dr. Ijeoma Ifeorah, Senior Lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, who covered the epidemiology and disease burden of HBV and HDV in sub-Saharan Africa, how to increase awareness of and screening for the viruses utilizing current global guidelines to recognize individuals at risk for developing HDV infection, and how best to provide support for patients after their diagnosis. Watch the webinar here!
Join CHIPO!
Does your organization serve African populations, or are you a passionate community member? All are welcome at CHIPO's coalition calls! Our next call will take place on Wednesday July 17th, 2024 at 12pm Eastern Time. This call, we are excited to hear from Adesuwa Oni of the Rise Against Hepatitis Global Initiative in Imo State, Nigeria, and Prince-Ochuko Okinedo of the Hepatitis B Advocacy Initiative and Hepatitis Advocacy Foundation in Delta State, Nigeria. Both will share about the work of their respective organizations, including advocacy efforts, and will lead a discussion about how to specifically address employment discrimination that is faced by many people living with hepatitis B, especially in Africa. Email beatrice.zovich@hepb.org if you have questions or are interested in joining!
View our Publication! Barriers to Hepatitis B Screening and Prevention for African Immigrant Populations in the United States: A Qualitative Study (2020)
Check out our recent webinar!
View our recent webinar to hear from Dr. Patricia Jones, a hepatologist and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Miami, and co-leader of the Liver Cancer Working Group in the African Caribbean Cancer Consortium. Dr. Jones shares background information about the consortium and focuses specifically on current efforts and initiatives to address the disproportionate burden of hepatocellular carcinoma in African and Caribbean communities globally. Check it out here!
CHIPO Call Minutes
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