Hepatitis E vaccination Center in Bentiu, Unity State. | Photo by MSF.

Health authorities in Unity State say cases of the infectious Hepatitis E disease have dwindled, thanks to a massive rollout of vaccines at the displacement camps and high risk settlements in the state.

The Medicines Sans Frontiers and the Ministry of Health have conducted a large-scale vaccination campaign against Hepatitis E at several Internally Displaced Persons Camps in the state.

The vaccination was conducted in response to three years of outbreaks that left 759 people infected, 17 of whom had died.

The state Minister of Health, Stephen Tot Chang told Eye Radio this morning, the cases of the viral disease have drastically reduced following the two rounds of vaccination rollout.

“We have launched Hepatitis E vaccination several times now. We did it in the former PoCS, and we have done it in the new IDPS camps. Hepatitis E has reduced now,” he said to Eye Radio.

Hepatitis E is transmitted through contaminated food and water, and therefore large-scale outbreaks mainly occur in places like refugee and displacement camps.

The disease has no cure, but it can be prevented through vaccination.

It is particularly deadly for pregnant women, as it increases the risk of miscarriages and stillbirths.

Minister Tot said the vaccination drive targets people between the age of 16 to 40.

“We have no reports of Hepatitis E cases now. The cases were so many before we launch the vaccines, and you know the Hepatitis E stays for 21 days and after it, it disappears if the patient did not die.”

Meanwhile, a statement by the medical charity said the third round of the immunization campaign is ongoing in the largest IDPs camp in the country, currently hosting some 112,000 displaced persons.

According to MSF, Hepatitis E is the most common cause of acute viral hepatitis, which causes liver inflammation and damage.

The disease reportedly presents an estimated 20 million infections, and 44,000 death around the world each year.