Defeating Hepatitis B in Vanuatu

Hepatitis B is a chronic health issue in Vanuatu. It's a debilitating disease, sometimes known as the 'silent killer' because the virus hides away from the immune system undetected until it is too late to treat.

Hepatitis B affects as many as up to 15% of the total population of Vanuatu - that's one of the highest rates in the world.

The impacts of this health crisis includes the people of Vanuatu who come every year to work in New Zealand in the horticulture sector - in kiwifruit, apples and pears, cherries, grapes. They come here to support their families, to earn money for their children's education and to improve their communities. They have made such a great contribution for many years to our horticulture industries and we owe it to them to help in the fight against this disease.

We can make a difference. Our campaign will raise funds to improve screening and early diagnosis in Vanuatu, in cooperation with the World Health Organisation. Funds from the campaign will support recruitment and training of medical workers and an increase in screening through simple blood tests. If we meet our fundraising target we will also be able to donate a new portable Fibroscan machine - a specialised ultrasound machine for the liver - which will help identify people with more advanced cases of the disease who can then be treated.

With your support we can help defeat the virus and help Vanuatu's efforts to support the health and wellbeing of its people.