Challenges of hepatitis B treatment in rural Sub‐Saharan Africa: Treatment initiation and outcomes from a public hospital‐based clinic in Kono, Sierra Leone

Despite a high prevalence, there are few successful models for de‐centralizing diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among rural communities in Sub‐Saharan Africa. We report baseline characteristics and 1 year retention outcomes for patients enrolled in a HBV clinic integrated within chronic disease services in a rural district hospital in Sierra Leone. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with HBV infection enrolled between 30 April 2019 and 30 April 2021. Patients were eligible for 1 year follow‐up if enrolled before 28 February 2020. Treatment eligibility at baseline was defined as cirrhosis (diagnosed by clinical criteria of decompensated cirrhosis, ultrasonographic findings or aspartate‐aminotransferase‐to‐platelet ratio >2) or co‐infection with HIV or HCV. Retention in care was defined as a documented follow‐up visit at least 1 year after enrolment. We enrolled 623 individuals in care, median age of 30 years (IQR 23–40). Of 617 patients with available data, 97 (15.7%) had cirrhosis. Treatment was indicated among 113 (18.3%) patients and initiated among 74 (65.5%). Of 39 patients eligible for 1 year follow‐up on treatment at baseline, 20 (51.3%) were retained at 1 year, among whom 12 (60.0%) had documented viral suppression. Among the 232 patients not initiated on treatment eligible for 1 year follow‐up, 75 (32.3%) were retained at 1 year.