After-action review in Slovakia, following 2025 hepatitis A outbreak

Hosted by the National Public Health Authority of Slovakia on 28–29 April 2026, the AAR brought together experts from Austria, Slovakia and Czechia to reflect on risk communication and community engagement activities implemented during the outbreak response.

The outbreak of hepatitis A virus, which peaked in 2025, affected several EU countries, and disproportionately impacted vulnerable groups. These included ethnic minorities, particularly Roma communities in Slovakia and Czechia, people experiencing homelessness, people who use or inject drugs, and people living in poor sanitary conditions. 

Around 25 participants attended the meeting, including national and regional public health experts involved in the outbreak response, representatives of organisations working directly with affected communities, and communication specialists.

Participants reviewed the public health response, identified key challenges, and highlighted areas requiring further attention. Discussions also focused on practical ways to improve engagement with affected communities in order to  enhance outbreak control efforts.

By facilitating the exchange of experiences and approaches, ECDC aims to support countries in strengthening their response capacities and in applying lessons learned to future outbreaks, particularly when reaching and supporting vulnerable populations.

The EU Health Task Force

The EUHTF is a public health workforce, coordinated by ECDC, that can be deployed to provide rapid support to European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries as well as beyond in response to public health threats related to communicable diseases or diseases of unknown origin. The EUHTF strengthens preparedness and response capacity through the deployment of multidisciplinary teams, the organisation of capacity-building activities, and the provision of targeted technical assistance.

By bringing together expertise from across Europe, the EUHTF enhances collaboration, facilitates the exchange of experience and skills, supports rapid action during public health emergencies and improves national and cross-border preparedness and response, thereby enhancing EU-wide resilience.