HEPATITIS B VACCINATION TRENDS AND REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN UKRAINE DURING THE WAR

Authors:

Abstract:

Hepatitis B incidence remains a serious challenge for Ukraine’s healthcare system during the war. Hepatitis B vaccination is an important way to prevent the disease, but the process of immunizing the population may be complicated by military operations. This study assessed national and regional trends in hepatitis B immunization in Ukraine during 2021–2025 and examined the association between vaccination and reported disease incidence. Official vaccination and epidemiological data were analyzed by age group and region. Childhood vaccination accounted for most administered doses but declined from 700,088 doses in 2021 to 565,336 in 2025, whereas adult immunization increased from 11,119 to 34,242 doses. Regional heterogeneity in vaccination volumes increased during the war, while total vaccination volumes in 2025 were lower than in 2021. Associations between regional vaccination and hepatitis B incidence were observed in several wartime years. The findings support maintaining childhood immunization while substantially expanding adult vaccination and strengthening surveillance during wartime.

Keywords:

hepatitis B vaccination immunization disease incidence regional variation armed conflict Ukraine

References:

1. Brinkmann F, Friedrichs A, Behrens GMN, Behrens P, Berner R, Caliebe A, et al. Prevalence of infectious diseases, immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases and chronic medical conditions among Ukrainian refugees in Germany: a cross-sectional study from the German Network University Medicine (NUM). J Infect Public Health. 2024;17(4):642–649. doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2024.02.003.
2. Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Incidence of Infectious Diseases Among the Population of Ukraine. PHC Ukraine; 2025. [Available at: https://phc.org.ua/kontrol-zakhvoryuvan/inshi-infekciyni-zakhvoryuvannya/infekciyna-zakhvoryuvanist-naselennya-ukraini. Accessed: June 4, 2026].
3. Center for Public Health, Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Approximately 1.9 million test systems for detecting antibodies and antigens of viral hepatitis B and C arrived in Ukraine. PHC Ukraine; 2025. [Available at: https://phc.org.ua. Accessed: June 4, 2026].
4. Center for Public Health, Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Hepatitis B Vaccination: Reliable Protection for Future Generations. PHC Ukraine; 2026. [Available at: https://phc.org.ua. Accessed: June 4, 2026].
5. Center for Public Health, Ministry of Health of Ukraine. July 28 – August 1 — Hepatitis Awareness Week in Ukraine. PHC Ukraine; 2025. [Available at: https://phc.org.ua. Accessed: June 4, 2026].
6. Center for Public Health, Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Vaccination Coverage Statistics in Ukraine: as of December 1, 2024. PHC Ukraine; 2024. [Available at: https://phc.org.ua. Accessed: June 6, 2026].
7. European Association for the Study of the Liver, WHO Regional Office for Europe, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Ensuring high-quality viral hepatitis care for refugees from Ukraine: joint statement. Copenhagen/Stockholm: WHO Regional Office for Europe, ECDC; 2022.
8. Jaeger FN, Berger C, Buettcher M, Depallens S, Heininger U, Heller Y, et al. Paediatric refugees from Ukraine: guidance for health care providers. Swiss Med Wkly. 2022;152:w30200. doi:10.4414/smw.2022.w30200.
9. Ministry of health of Ukraine Order No. 1722 of November 14, 2025 “On the Approval of Amendments to the Immunization Schedule in Ukraine”; 2025. [Available at: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/z1788-25. Accessed: June 4, 2026]
10. Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C in Ukraine (2016–2025). Statistical Data. Kyiv; 2026.
11. National Health Service of Ukraine. Statistics on maintaining medical records on vaccination of the population. [Available at: https://nszu.gov.ua/dashboards/statistika-vedennia-medicnix-zapisiv-shhodo-vakcinaci. Accessed: June 4, 2026].
12. Stępień M. Hepatitis B in Poland, 2023–2024. Przegl Epidemiol. 2025;79(4):595–614. doi:10.32394/pe/215525.
13. Stopyra L, Banach K, Wood M, Stala J, Merklinger-Gruchała A. Low hepatitis B immunity among Ukrainian refugee children and adolescents in Poland: need for targeted screening and vaccination. Vaccines (Basel). 2025;13(8):816. doi:10.3390/vaccines13080816.
14. The State statistics service. Population Size and Structure; 2026. [Available at: https://stat.gov.ua/en/datasets/population-size-and-structure. Accessed: June 6, 2026].
15. Vaezipour N, Depallens S, Wagner N, Frank I, Jaeger FN, Felber Dietrich D, et al. Screening for infectious diseases and vaccination status in Ukrainian paediatric refugees: a retrospective cohort study. Eur J Pediatr. 2026;185(8):602. doi:10.1007/s00431-026-07243-4.
16. Weng MK, Doshani M, Khan MA, Frey S, Ault K, Moore KL, et al. Universal hepatitis B vaccination in adults aged 19–59 years: updated recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022;71(13):477–483. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7113a1.
17. World Health Organization. Global hepatitis report 2024: action for access in low- and middle-income countries [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. [Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240091672. Accessed: June 4, 2026].

Publication:

«World of Medicine and Biology» Vol. 22 No. 97 (2026), pp. 91-97
UDC 614.47:616-036.22:616.36-002

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26724/2079-8334-2026-3-97-91-97