Dr Elaine Saayman has been recognised as a 2026 Elimination Champion for making hepatitis care more accessible to vulnerable communities in SA.
Tshwane, South Africa (29 July 2026) – South African doctor Dr Elaine Saayman has received international recognition for the life-changing work she is doing to make healthcare more accessible for people in vulnerable, underserved communities.
Dr Saayman has been named one of the 2026 Elimination Champions by the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination. The award recognises people making a difference in the global fight to eliminate viral hepatitis.
The Elimination Champion recipients were selected by an international panel of judges after an open call for nominations. Winners were recognised for creating meaningful improvements in hepatitis prevention, testing, treatment and care while helping move the world closer to eliminating viral hepatitis.
The honour was announced ahead of World Hepatitis Day, which took place on Tuesday, 28 July 2026!
Dr Saayman is the Clinical and Research Director at Sediba Hope Medical Centre in Tshwane, where she dedicates her work to bringing hepatitis B and C care into communities where it is needed most.
There, her focus is on supporting groups who often struggle to access healthcare, including people who inject drugs, sex workers and people experiencing homelessness.
One of her biggest achievements has been developing an integrated model that combines screening and treatment for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV with harm reduction services, including opioid substitution therapy. The approach also includes peer-led programmes, where people with lived experience help build trust between healthcare providers and communities that have often felt excluded from medical services.
Under Dr Saayman’s leadership, more than 1000 people who inject drugs have been screened and treated for HIV and hepatitis C.
Dr Saayman says the key to eliminating hepatitis is making sure healthcare reaches everyone.
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Beyond clinical care, Dr Saayman also holds qualifications in medicine, HIV management and public health, and is involved in research, strengthening healthcare systems and advocating for better policies that improve access to treatment across South Africa!
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