From Knowledge to Action: How Students Can Change the Landscape of Hepatitis

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Maria Tereza Garcia Bergantini is a fourth-year medical student at Faculdade de Medicina Dr. Paulo Prata, in Barretos, Brazil. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Hepatitis is part of a silent epidemic. Although it affects millions of people worldwide, a large proportion live with the virus without knowing they are infected, whether because they are asymptomatic or simply unaware of how the disease is transmitted and how to protect themselves. Given this scenario, it is essential that health science students take on an active role: turning scientific knowledge into concrete actions of awareness and humanized care.

Viral hepatites causes more than one million deaths per year, a number comparable to diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV. Even so, many people remain unaware of this information due to stigma, limited access to testing, and a shortage of educational campaigns, which contributes to the disease’s invisibility in the eyes of society. Many hepatitis cases are only diagnosed at advanced stages, when severe liver damage has already occurred, a scenario that could be prevented through effective educational campaigns and up-to-date vaccination. The World Health Organization has set the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, but this objective will only be achieved through joint efforts by governments, health professionals, students, and, above all, the general population, reinforcing the urgency of educational action starting now.

Students occupy a privileged position between the academic world and the community. Immersed in the scientific knowledge provided by their universities, they also remain close to the general population, closely observing everyday needs. This intermediary position makes them natural links in spreading reliable information, particularly at a time when misinformation travels quickly. Simple actions, such as school lectures, distribution of informational materials, community discussion circles, and the strategic use of social media, can reach a large share of the population, demystify taboos related to disease transmission, and keep people informed.

The hepatitis B vaccine is among the most effective ever developed, yet vaccination coverage still varies significantly between regions. Students can actively collaborate with local health units, take part in vaccination drives, and help clarify public doubts about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, helping to combat the misinformation that often prevents people from getting vaccinated. Moreover, by engaging in outreach and volunteer projects, students develop communication and empathy skills that are essential for their future clinical practice, bridging academic training with social impact.

A practical example of this mobilization takes place at IFMSA at my own university, which runs the project Testar é Saber (“Testing is Knowing”), a day dedicated to free testing for the academic community. Initiatives like this demonstrate, in practice, how students can serve as bridges between scientific knowledge and access to diagnosis, reducing barriers such as stigma and lack of information, and offering a replicable model for other institutions.

Reducing the global burden of hepatitis does not depend solely on medical advances, but on turning acquired knowledge into educational action. Today’s students, as future healthcare professionals, have both the opportunity and the responsibility to act now: educating communities, supporting immunization campaigns, and advocating for equitable access to care.

About the author

Maria Tereza Garcia Bergantini is a fourth-year medical student at Faculdade de Medicina Dr. Paulo Prata, in Barretos, Brazil. She currently serves as Local Coordinator of the SCOPH (Standing Committee on Public Health) committee at IFMSA and is the current Director of the Chronic Diseases group within the Previna+ project, developed in partnership with Hospital de Amor de Barretos.