EU Agencies Launch Initiative to Combat Viral Hepatitis in European Prisons
BRUSSELS – European Union agencies dedicated to disease prevention and drug control have jointly released a new toolkit aimed at accelerating the elimination of viral hepatitis within European prisons. The initiative, spearheaded by the european Center for the Prevention and Control of Diseases (ECDC) and the European Medicines Agency, directly supports the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
The guide, published ahead of the Day of Penitentiary Justice (August 10), provides support for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B and C across European correctional facilities. It’s specifically designed for healthcare professionals working within prison systems, offering guidance on implementing effective prevention and control measures.
According to data from the European Commission, the EU held approximately 499,000 inmates in 2023, representing 111 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants – a 3.2% increase from 2022.
The initiative highlights that certain populations within the EU face a disproportionately higher prevalence of hepatitis B and C,including migrants,people who inject drugs,men who have sex with men,sex workers,and incarcerated individuals. This makes prisons a particularly high-risk surroundings for transmission, as prison populations frequently enough overlap with individuals who inject drugs. The guide notes that “imprisonment and drug use are intertwined and increase the risk of transmissible disease infection.”
limited access to sterile injection equipment within many penitentiary centers further exacerbates the risk, not only from drug use but also from practices like tattooing and piercing. Hepatitis B and C are significant contributors to cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver transplantation, and liver-related mortality.The WHO estimates that 10.6 million people in Europe live with chronic hepatitis B and 8.6 million with chronic hepatitis C,with the majority remaining undiagnosed.
The ECDC and EMA acknowledge the unique challenges of addressing viral hepatitis within the prison system,including insufficient resources,inadequate training,and underdeveloped public health surveillance and monitoring systems. They emphasize that tackling thes infections is crucial not only for the health of inmates but also for reducing transmission both within prisons and upon release back into the community.
