Health Ministry Intensifies Effort to Eliminate Hepatitis Infections
By: September 22, 2025 ,The Full Story
The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) is intensifying its effort to eliminate hepatitis infections, particularly Hepatitis B, as part of the global agenda to end specific communicable diseases by 2030.
Acting Director of the Family Health Unit in the MOHW, Dr. Julia Rowe-Porter, tells JIS News about the urgency of addressing the threat posed by the highly contagious virus.
“Hepatitis is a germ that sticks around once you get infected because it is a chronic infection, and that infection affects the liver and it is so named because there is inflammation of the liver,” Dr. Rowe-Porter notes.
“Hepatitis B is more contagious than HIV. It is a serious public health concern because once infected, individuals often carry the virus for life, leading to chronic liver disease and liver cancer,” she adds.
The Acting Family Health Director points out that since 2003, Jamaica has made significant strides in preventing the transmission of Hepatitis B by integrating the Hepatitis B vaccine into the national immunisation schedule for infants.
All newborns, whether born in public or private facilities, receive a dose of the vaccine before leaving the hospital.
This early intervention is crucial, Dr. Rowe-Porter says, as babies can contract the virus during childbirth if their mothers are infected.
“Newborns have underdeveloped immune systems, making them especially vulnerable to chronic infection if exposed at birth,” she notes, adding that this is the reason why timely vaccination is important.
Children continue the vaccine series at child health clinics, and routine immunisation now covers individuals up to age 22. However, adults born before the introduction of the vaccine in 2003 remain at risk and are being targeted through occupational and risk-based vaccination initiatives.
The Ministry has implemented policies to vaccinate high-risk occupational groups, such as healthcare workers, funeral home staff, and commercial sex workers, all of whom may come into contact with body fluids.
“Hepatitis B can also be transmitted through needle stick injuries, blood splashes, and sexual contact. We have clear protocols for managing exposure and ensuring immediate vaccination, when necessary,” Dr. Rowe-Porter notes.
The Acting Family Health Director says that the MOHW is working on a national plan to introduce universal screening of pregnant women, a critical step in breaking the cycle of mother-to-child transmission.
The Ministry is also actively working to expand its successful Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission (EMTCT) Plus programme, which already includes HIV and syphilis, to also encompass Hepatitis B.
“We’ve done well with HIV and syphilis, and now we’re moving forward with Hepatitis B. We aim to achieve elimination status by 2030,” Dr. Rowe-Porter tells JIS News.
While Hepatitis B and C remain the Ministry’s primary focus, she also highlights the broader hepatitis landscape.
Hepatitis A and E are transmitted through contaminated food and water and are preventable through sanitation and, in some cases, vaccination. Hepatitis B, C, and D, are bloodborne and sexually transmitted and while there is a vaccine for Hepatitis B, there is none for Hepatitis C, and this makes testing and awareness critical to controlling its spread.
Despite low prevalence levels (under 10 per cent) for both Hepatitis B and C, the Ministry is being proactive, given the virus’ long-term health impact and the cost-effectiveness of prevention.
With a multipronged strategy that includes universal infant vaccination, targeted adult vaccination, occupational protection, testing, and education, the MOHW is working assiduously towards achieving Hepatitis B elimination for Jamaica.
“Elimination means near-zero cases, and it is possible. But we need to maintain high vaccine coverage, expand testing, especially among pregnant women, and ensure that treatment is accessible to those who need it,” Dr. Rowe-Porter emphasises.