African Hepatitis B Advocacy Coalition (ABAC)
The Hepatitis B Foundation is making a major, multiyear investment to launch a new program supporting hepatitis B elimination in Africa, where its staff has been working with strong local partners in more than 12 countries to develop models for prevention, education, testing and linkage to care. The new community-focused, capacity-building initiative builds on the Foundation’s previous efforts in Africa. Read more here.
Mission
To unite and build up African organizations, communities and healthcare systems in the fight against hepatitis B through capacity-building, resource mobilization, data-sharing and advocacy, with a focus on empowering patient voices, expanding access to screening, vaccination, and treatment while achieving the World Health Organization elimination targets.
Vision
Dedicated to achieving a healthy and hepatitis B-free Africa, where every community has equitable access to testing, prevention, management and treatment.
Goals
Goal 1: Enhance Awareness and Education
Increase public awareness about hepatitis B and liver cancer across the continent through targeted education campaigns, publicly available training programs, and knowledge-sharing platforms to reduce stigma and encourage early detection and prevention of hepatitis B and liver cancer.
Goal 2: Expand Access to Screening and Vaccination
Expand access to hepatitis B screening, vaccination and treatment to meet WHO’s 2030 elimination targets, through advocacy and garnering the support of elected and appointed health and governmental officials and incorporating models of integration within efforts to combat HIV, malaria and tuberculosis for sustainability and scalability.
Goal 3: Strengthen Local Capacity and Resources
Provide capacity-building support to local organizations through training, technical assistance and resource mobilization to improve the effectiveness and reach of hepatitis B programs, ensuring sustainability and long-term impact.
Goal 4: Promote Patient-Centered Care & Leadership
Advance patient-centered hepatitis B care through the empowerment of individuals living with hepatitis B, supporting their active participation in care management and their leadership roles in advocacy, and fostering patient-led support groups.
Goal 5: Foster Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
Create a collaborative network of individuals with lived experience, civil society organizations, healthcare providers, governments and international partners to share best practices and resources, monitor progress, and advocate for policies that improve the response to integrated health services, hepatitis B and liver cancer across the continent.
Goal 6: Data and Evidence-Driven Advocacy
Establish robust data collection, reporting and evaluation systems to track hepatitis B elimination progress, share lessons learned, and advocate for evidence-based policies and investments in the fight against hepatitis B and liver cancer.
Goal 7: Reduce Stigma and Discrimination
Work towards the elimination of the consequences of a hepatitis B diagnosis including removing stigma and discrimination through public awareness campaigns, empowerment and advocacy for supportive legal and social environments for people living with hepatitis B.
Values
- We actively foster leadership from individuals and organizations led by people living with or affected by hepatitis B
- We are community-led and guided by input from individuals with lived experience
- We are inclusive and embrace diversity of thought and perspective
- The network values the demonstration of the highest respect for all members and the diverse contributions of their knowledge, experience, backgrounds and perspectives
ABAC Logo Contest
The Hepatitis B Foundation and its advisors seek logos designed by creators across the continent for the Africa Hepatitis B Advocacy Coalition (ABAC) which seeks to unite and build up African organizations, communities, and healthcare systems in the fight against hepatitis B through capacity-building, resource mobilization, data-sharing, and advocacy, with a focus on empowering patient voices, expanding access to screening, vaccination, and treatment, and achieving the World Health Organization elimination targets.
Please click here for details on the logo contest and eligibility. Anyone and everyone from the African continent may participate-you do not have to be a member of the coalition or any specific organization to participate. The African Advisory Group will select the top three finalists, and the coalition will vote on the top five logos to select the winner. The winner will be notified by e-mail and the winning logo will be featured on the Hepatitis B Foundation social media outlets and offered an opportunity to share their design to the coalition on a webinar or coalition call.The logo will be the main image for the coalition and serve as a marker for identification across all coalition activities. The top five submissions will all receive a $50 prize for their submissions and the winner will receive a grand prize for their design of $250.
- For details on submission, please use this form.
- Any form not completed in entirety will not be considered.
- Logo contest submissions are due by March 28, 2025.
Advisors
The African Hepatitis B Coalition (ABAC) is guided by the African Advisory Board which provides strategic guidance on the development and direction of the network’s programs including its capacity building initiatives, membership development and policy and advocacy activities.
The ABAC has 12 advisors - see below to learn about the advisors for the founding year of the coalition.
Advisors 2024-2025
Dr. Wendy Spearman (South Africa)
Wendy Spearman is Head of Hepatology at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital. She leads the Liver and Liver Transplant clinics and completed her Hepatology Fellowship in 1991. Wendy earned her PhD in 2008 on the effects of C-type lectins from puff adder venom on T lymphocyte response. She is involved in liver education outreach and developed Hepatitis B training for sub-Saharan Africa with the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care. Wendy co-leads the Viral Hepatitis in sub-Saharan Africa Project ECHO Clinic and helped develop South Africa's national hepatitis guidelines as a WHO Africa consultant. She co-chaired the WHO 2023 Hepatitis B Guidelines Development Group. Her research focuses on viral hepatitis, MASLD, drug-induced liver injuries and liver transplantation.
Kenneth Kabagambe (Uganda)
Kenneth Kabagambe is the Founding Executive Director of the National Organization for People Living with Hepatitis B (NOPLHB), Uganda's only patient-driven NGO advocating for Hepatitis B patients. He is a member of the Ministry of Health's Hepatitis Technical Working Committee and a past Executive Board Member for the World Hepatitis Alliance (African Region). Kenneth has participated in WHO consultancy workshops on viral hepatitis and was a judge for the WHO Hepatitis Testing Contest, contributing to the development of hepatitis B and C testing guidelines. He also served on the African Union Hepatitis Technical Working Group and led the African Hepatitis Summit 2019 in Kampala, which helped secure Egyptian support for hepatitis C treatment in Africa. With extensive experience advocating for patients' rights, Kenneth holds a bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, specializing in Sociology and Public Administration from Makerere University, Kampala.
Dr. Jose Debes (Tanzania)
Dr. Debes is a Professor in the Department of Medicine, Divisions of Infectious Diseases and of Gastroenterology at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, U.S. His work focuses on viral hepatitis and liver cancer in resource limited regions. He founded and leads a network for hepatitis B awareness and education in Africa, encompassing over a dozen countries in the continent.
Dr. Djeneba Fofana (Mali)
Dr. Fofana is a Malian microbiologist interested in infectious diseases, in particular HIV and hepatitis viruses. She is working on increasing access to biological assays, in diagnostic laboratories’ capacities, assisting with preparedness for emerging viral diseases in West Africa.
Pharm. Prince Okinedo (Nigeria)
Prince O. Okinedo advocates for hepatitis elimination, spearheading impactful initiatives through his NGO, the Hepatitis B Advocacy Initiative Nigeria (HBAi-Nig). His innovative strategies leverage social media platforms to drive awareness campaigns using compelling visuals, stories and videos. Okinedo established psychosocial support networks, providing counseling and safe spaces for individuals grappling with viral hepatitis. His negotiations with local pharmacies contributed to a 10% reduction in antiviral medication costs, enhancing treatment accessibility and adherence.
Okinedo collaborates with the Delta State Ministry of Health to streamline data collection methods, enabling targeted interventions and evidence-based policies. His advocacy efforts extend to policy change, advocating for hepatitis inclusion in the Delta State Contributory Health Commission, resulting in a landmark pledge for integration with existing HIV/AIDS programming.
Theobald Owusu-Ansah (Ghana)
Theobald is President of the Hepatitis Foundation of Ghana and Hepatitis Coalition of Ghana. Hepatitis Foundation of Ghana is a patient’s organization, a national voice for patients and non-governmental organization (NGO) registered in Ghana. It seeks to promote awareness of the prevalence and incidence of viral hepatitis in Ghana, and to educate the public in the prevention of the spread of the virus and the available treatment options. His organization provides care and psychosocial support to the infected and affected people and their families. In addition, it seeks to serve as the primary source of information for patients and their families.
Danjuma Adda, MPH (Nigeria)
Danjuma is a Nigerian prince and accomplished public health expert on a mission to raise awareness about Hepatitis. Danjuma was infected with hepatitis B while in clinical rotations and then lost his mother to the disease several years later. Danjuma is a leading voice for hepatitis patients in Nigeria and uses his platform to advocate for the most vulnerable populations across Africa. He strives to change the narrative about hepatitis and raise awareness about the deadliness of the disease. Danjuma K. Adda is a native of Taraba state, Nigeria. He is married with four kids. He has a background in microbiology and an MPH, with over 15 years of experience in public health and advocacy. Danjuma is the past president of the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), the first African to hold that position.
*Members pending photo and biography:
Dr. Kania Dramane (Burkina Faso), Dr. Aliou Coulibaly (Mali) and Dr. Diallo Mountaga (Mali)
Coalition Membership
Interested individuals, organizations, academics or government groups working within the hepatitis B, liver cancer or health space [from here referred to as organization] are invited to join the network by submitting an online membership application.
Membership benefits include ongoing support, capacity building, training and knowledge sharing, and networking with other members working in the hepatitis B community.
Please complete the survey here to get started in joining the coalition.
Calendar of Events
- Feb. 2025 Launch website and logo contest
- March 2025 1st coalition call
- April 2025 2nd coalition call
- May 2025 3rd coalition call
- June 2025 4th coalition call
- July 2025 5th coalition call
- Community grants launch LOI
*Training opportunities coming soon.