The 9th Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA) 2026 is set to take place from 17-19 September 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! Our program brings together African and international experts to advance cutting-edge, Africa-focused education, collaboration, and innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of viral hepatitis and liver disease.

Contribute to our programme by submitting your latest research or an impactful case study. Accepted abstract submitters are not only eligible for a discounted registration fee, but also have the opportunity to win awards for the most innovative research.

We welcome new original data as well as encored abstracts. All abstracts must contain up-to-date information at the time of the workshop. Make sure to submit your abstract before Friday, 19 June 2026 at 23:59 EAT.

Submissions are open across the following categories:

Civil Society Experience: Delivery of Care

Liver Disease Diagnostics Tools

End Stage Liver Disease (Incl. Cirrhosis, HCC)

HBV Prevention, Testing and Treatment

HCV Prevention, Testing and Cure

Hepatitis Co-Infections

Hepatitis Prevention

Hepatobiliary Surgery

Implementation Elimination Strategies

Other Causes of Hepatitis (Incl. Infectious, ETLG, Fatty Liver, Drug / Alcohol)

Pediatric Liver Disease

Share Your Research

Timely Hepatitis B Birth Dose Vaccination in Africa: A Critical Missing Link for Elimination

by Dr. Gibril Ndow

Timely hepatitis B birth dose (HepB-BD) vaccination—administered within 24 hours of birth—remains a critical yet underutilized intervention for preventing mother-to-child transmission in Africa, where coverage was only 18% in 2022, far below WHO elimination targets. Data from The Gambia, which introduced HepB-BD in 1990, show gradual improvement in coverage (from 1.7% in 2015 to 22.4% in 2021) but persistent systemic barriers, including weekend staffing gaps, low uptake even among facility births, seasonal access challenges, and service disruptions during COVID-19, highlighting missed opportunities within maternal and newborn care platforms. Evidence suggests that health system constraints—rather than vaccine hesitancy—drive delays, underscoring the need to integrate birth dose delivery into labour wards, empower midwives, leverage thermostable vaccine storage, link vaccination to birth registration, and explore innovative delivery technologies to accelerate progress toward HBV elimination in the region.

Read Dr. Gibril Ndow’s full article on the SOLDA Society website by clicking the button below.

Read the Full Article

World Hepatitis Summit 2026

The World Hepatitis Summit 2026, organised by the World Hepatitis Alliance, takes place 28-30 April in Bangkok, Thailand. With only four years left to meet the 2030 targets, its theme is an urgent call for equity and change – ‘elimination for everyone, everywhere, right now!’

Register your place by 24 February here to secure a discounted early bird price.

The summit provides a platform for healthcare professionals and people affected by hepatitis, as well as communities and companies working in the space, to share vital ideas, experiences, and best practices with key decision makers. The summit has a strong focus on the public health approach and brings together a unique mix of attendees to change ideas into actions and connections into global commitments.

Discover the full programme here! At the summit, we will host plenaries such as ‘The promise of a hepatitis-free generation through triple elimination’ and ‘Improving access to hepatitis treatment’; parallel sessions like ‘Changing HIV treatment landscape and impact on hepatitis B’, ‘Spotlight on hepatitis B functional cure’, and ‘Global Fund: Opportunities for hepatitis in GC8’. We’ll also have dedicated WHO-led regional meetings and seek to find immediate, lasting solutions together.