She was just 23 years old, a brilliant student ready to make a change, when she died from complications of hepatitis B, a virus she never knew she carried. Her death was tragic and preventable, and it left a lasting impression on me.
Medical students are especially vulnerable. We begin with cadaver dissections, never knowing the cause of death, then move on to assist in surgeries, handle sharp instruments, deliver babies, and care for patients. In many cases, this happens without consistent access to gloves or vaccination. And yet, many students have never been screened or immunized.
As president of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Medical Students’ Association, Nigeria, I led a university-wide free hepatitis B screening and vaccination campaign with generous support from the Hepatitis B Foundation, United States, who gave us a grant to fully cover the entire campaign. It was a life-saving initiative, but also an opportunity to collect data, engage students, and understand what was really happening on our campus.
We reached all 604 medical students across pre-clinical and clinical years. Only 136 (22.5%) had ever received hepatitis B vaccination. This left 468 students (77.5%) unprotected, despite their frontline training roles.
From the 468 students who underwent screening:
- 10 students (2.1% of total; 2.4% of those screened) tested positive for hepatitis B. Many were shocked, learning of their status for the first time.
- The remaining 458 students who tested negative were enrolled in a three-dose vaccination program, with high completion rates.
We found significant differences between pre-clinical and clinical students:
- Clinical students were nearly twice as likely to have been vaccinated compared to pre-clinical students.
- Clinical students also had significantly higher knowledge about Hepatitis B than the preclinical students.
- Those in pre-clinical years had limited awareness of hepatitis B, despite being required to dissect cadavers and observe procedures.
We also collected information on personal experiences:
- Over 5% of students reported having a family member or close friend who had died or suffered from chronic hepatitis B.
- These students were found to have a higher likelihood of expressing fear, urgency, and gratitude for the program.
Other findings included:
- Students with formal training in infection prevention were three times more likely to be fully vaccinated.
- Students in clinical years were 1.8 times more likely to know their hepatitis B status than pre-clinical students.
- Over 98% of students said they felt “more confident and safer” returning to clinical work after vaccination.
Beyond the numbers, we saw real change. Many students who tested positive have now been linked to proper care and follow-up, with guidance on protecting loved ones. Several others who were previously fearful of screening found reassurance and empowerment through the program.
This was more than a research exercise; it was a public health movement. It showed that with the right support, even in a low-resource setting, we can protect hundreds of future healthcare workers, raise awareness, and prevent suffering.
I am deeply grateful to the Hepatitis B Foundation for their support and for giving us the opportunity to share this story and the result of our research. We hope that more people can be reached, and we can further protect medical students (especially those admitted after the campaign).
About the author:
Dr. Samuel B. Ogunlade is a Nigerian medical doctor and public health advocate committed to hepatitis B elimination and equitable access to preventive care. He led a campus-wide screening and vaccination initiative that impacted over 600 future healthcare providers.