Coalition Against Hepatitis for People of African Origin (CHIPO)
The Coalition Against Hepatitis for People of African Origin (CHIPO) is a community coalition co-founded and led by the Hepatitis B Foundation. We are comprised of organizations and individuals interested in addressing the high rates of hepatitis B infection among African communities across the United States. CHIPO serves as a forum for sharing information and best practices and increasing national capacity to improve hepatitis B awareness, testing, vaccination and treatment among highly affected African communities.
People of African origin are disproportionately affected by hepatitis B infection. In fact, in some African communities in the U.S., between 5% and 15% of people have chronic HBV infection. Unfortunately, due to the silent nature of the disease, lack of disease awareness, and limited health care access, most African community members who have hepatitis B DO NOT KNOW that they are infected. This puts them at much greater risk for premature death from cirrhosis or liver cancer.
The key to addressing the high burden of hepatitis B infection in people of African origin is to improve awareness and access to hepatitis B information, screening, vaccination, and follow-up care. CHIPO brings together people from across the country who are working in their own local communities to address these very issues.
Join Us for a Webinar!
Join us for our summer 2025 CHIPO webinar! We are honored to be joined by Dr. Maurizio Bonacini, of the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute in San Francisco, who will be providing an overview of the latest literature on hepatitis B and delta in African immigrant communities in the United States, as well as effective strategies for addressing disparities and conducting outreach to some of the most impacted communities to improve screening, prevention, and linkage to care. Register here!
Join an Upcoming Liver Cancer Connect Webinar: Bridging the Gap between Liver Cancer Research & Impacted Communities
Happening on Thursday July 17th at 3pm Eastern Time! We will be joined by Dr. Chrystelle Vilfranc, Associate Research Scientist at Columbia University. She will be discussing the need to diversify the liver cancer research space and to make sure that those who are most affected by hepatocellular carcinoma have access both to participate in research and to benefit from findings. Ultimately, greater participation and diversity in both clinical trials and qualitative research can lead to better health outcomes. Please join us! Register here.
Missed our latest webinar?
Hepatitis B in Southern Africa: Epidemiology, Integration, and the Role of Advocates in Civil Society
Dr. Michael Vinikoor, Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, discussed the distinct epidemiology of hepatitis B in the Southern Africa region; efforts to integrate hepatitis B into HIV programs in Zambia and Malawi and the rationale for this, as well as initial experiences with this at referral centers; and opportunities for advocacy on the part of civil society organizations and other stakeholders across Africa, and where efforts should be prioritized.
View our Publication! Barriers to Hepatitis B Screening and Prevention for African Immigrant Populations in the United States: A Qualitative Study (2020)
Join CHIPO!
Does your organization serve African populations, or are you a passionate community member? All are welcome at CHIPO's coalition calls! Our next call will take place on Monday July 14th, 2025 at 3pm Eastern Time. We will hear from Meg Chappell, Program Director at the Empire Liver Foundation. Meg has done a lot of great work around hepatitis advocacy and engaging with local elected officials in NYC, and hearing her presentation should be quite beneficial to CHIPO members, in terms of effective approaches to this work and useful strategies, and how this advocacy model could potentially be emulated elsewhere in the country. We look forward to a great presentation and hope you can join! Email beatrice.zovich@hepb.org if you have questions or are interested in joining!
CHIPO Call Minutes
News Update! Making a major investment to fight hepatitis B in Africa
The Hepatitis B Foundation is launching a major new program to support hepatitis B elimination in Africa, building on years of successful partnerships in the region. The initiative will strengthen local efforts in prevention, education, testing, and care, with a focus on community-based organizations and people with lived experience. Through capacity-building, best practice-sharing, and collaborative networking, the program aims to drive meaningful change across the continent.
Learn more about this groundbreaking effort here!
New Blog Post! CHIPO Member Highlight: Hepatitis Outreach Network
This month, CHIPO highlights the incredible work of the Hepatitis Outreach Network (HONE) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. We spoke with Project Coordinator Assita Belemkoabga about HONE’s mission to combat hepatitis B through community-based screening, education, and strong partnerships. She shares insights on overcoming barriers like language, stigma, and healthcare access, and how HONE is making a lasting impact in African immigrant communities. Read on to learn more about their vital work and commitment to health equity!
Read here!
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