Protecting two lives: Hepatitis C screening brings reassurance to mothers in Cox’s Bazar

During a routine antenatal visit in the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, Aleya received unexpected news: she had hepatitis C. Pregnant with her first child, the diagnosis filled her with fear.

“I kept thinking about my baby,” she recalled. “I was afraid something would happen to my child.”

Like many women in the camps, Aleya only learned she had hepatitis C during routine antenatal care. Without early diagnosis and follow-up, the virus can be passed from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth. Expanded screening and maternal health services are helping identify infections earlier and support women throughout pregnancy to reduce these risks.

Health worker Farida Akter, a physician in Cox’s Bazar. explained Aleya’s diagnosis and reassured her that transmission was not inevitable. With regular monitoring and appropriate care, risks could be reduced.

“Early screening allows us to identify infection in time and support mothers throughout pregnancy,” she said. “With continued care and safe delivery practices, we can reduce risks for newborns.”

A stronger approach to maternal care

Aleya’s experience is becoming increasingly common as hepatitis C screening is integrated into routine maternal health services across the camps.

Her care was part of a wider effort led by the Government of Bangladesh, with technical support from WHO and funding from the Government of Japan, to integrate hepatitis C services into maternal and newborn health programmes in the camps.

Pregnant women are now routinely screened for hepatitis C through antenatal care services. Improved laboratory confirmation and referral systems help ensure women who test positive receive follow-up care during pregnancy and after delivery.

Throughout her pregnancy, Aleya attended regular check-ups, received monitoring and was advised on nutrition, safe delivery and newborn care.

“This care gave me confidence,” she said. “I felt that someone was looking after me and my baby.”

When labour began, skilled midwives supported her delivery using recommended infection prevention practices. Her baby was born healthy. After birth, Aleya received counselling on infant feeding and was informed that her own treatment would begin after breastfeeding.

A moment of relief

Two months after giving birth, Aleya returned to the health facility with her baby for the child’s first hepatitis C test.

“When they told me the test showed no sign of infection, I felt relief for the first time in months,” she said.

Health workers explained that further follow-up testing would still be required later in childhood to confirm the child’s final status. For Aleya, however, the result marked an important milestone after months of uncertainty.

Her experience reflects a broader expansion of hepatitis C screening and follow-up services across the camps, helping more women access care during pregnancy and after delivery.

From March 2024 to May 2026, nearly 20 000 pregnant women in the camps had been screened for hepatitis C through antenatal care services. More than 2500 tested positive and over 1400 were confirmed to have active infections requiring continued care.

“Early detection and continued care during pregnancy are essential to reducing the risk of hepatitis C transmission from mother to child,” said Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, WHO Representative to Bangladesh. “With support from the Government of Japan, WHO is working with national authorities to expand access to screening, follow-up care and maternal health services in Cox’s Bazar.”

Giving children a healthier start

For mothers like Aleya, these efforts are making a tangible difference.

What began with fear ended in reassurance. Regular monitoring, skilled care and timely support helped reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission and ensured continued follow-up care for her baby.

Today, more women in Cox’s Bazar are receiving earlier testing and continued care throughout pregnancy, helping protect both mothers and newborns.

For families across the camps, a simple test is bringing reassurance and giving more children the chance for a healthier beginning.

For more information about this publication, please contact Terence Ngwabe Che, External Communication Officer, Cox’s Bazar Sub-Office, WHO Bangladesh, at chet@who.int