SHIELD-BD Project: Screening for HBV and Reflex HDV Testing in Institutionalized Populations – Launching Around World Hepatitis Day
As World Hepatitis Day – July 28 approaches, we’re proud to launch the SHIELD-BD project, an initiative of the Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, focused on a group that is too often neglected: institutionalized elderly and people with disabilities.
We’ve just completed the first round of testing in a state facility in Bucharest. We were welcomed with warmth and kindness by both residents and staff – a reminder that dignity and care are fundamental rights for all, no matter their circumstances.
Through SHIELD-BD:
- We screen for HBV and a reflex test for HDV in HBV-positive cases
- HDV-positive patients are offered access to Bulevirtide, an innovative antiviral therapy that can change the course of their illness
- We assess quality of life using validated tools, to better understand the impact of liver disease in this population
Our mission is clear: Find the silent cases. Offer treatment. Reduce stigma. Improve lives.
