Hepatitis B Vaccination Coverage and Challenges in Kumasi Market Workers

What is it about?

Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection that remains common in Ghana, even though an effective vaccine is available. While children are routinely vaccinated, many adults—especially those working in the informal sector—are often left out. In this study, we assessed hepatitis B vaccination coverage among over 800 informal sector workers at Kejetia Market in Kumasi, one of the largest markets in West Africa. We found that although most people had heard about hepatitis B, detailed knowledge about the disease was low. More importantly, only about 1 in 6 participants had completed the full three-dose vaccination schedule needed for protection. We also identified key factors influencing vaccination. People with higher levels of education and those who had received health education about hepatitis B were more likely to be vaccinated. Cost was a major barrier, with many unvaccinated individuals indicating they would get vaccinated if it were free. These findings highlight an important gap in adult hepatitis B prevention in Ghana. Expanding access to affordable vaccination and strengthening targeted health education—especially within informal work settings—could significantly improve vaccine uptake. Such efforts are essential for Ghana to achieve its goal of eliminating hepatitis B as a public health threat.

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Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is one of the first to focus specifically on hepatitis B vaccination among informal sector workers in Ghana—a large but often overlooked population. While many studies focus on healthcare workers, our work highlights a high-risk group that has limited access to structured health services despite forming a major part of the workforce. What makes this research timely is the growing global push to eliminate hepatitis B by 2030. Our findings show that adult vaccination—especially outside formal healthcare settings—remains a major gap that could slow progress toward this goal. By identifying key barriers such as cost and low disease knowledge, as well as factors that improve uptake like health education, this study provides practical, real-world evidence for action. The difference this work can make is in guiding targeted interventions. It supports the need for affordable or free vaccination programs and community-based health education, particularly in market settings and other informal workplaces. These insights can help policymakers, public health practitioners, and health organizations design more effective strategies to increase vaccination coverage and reduce hepatitis B transmission in Ghana and similar settings.

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