MOBHOPE (Mobile Hepatitis Outreach and Prevention Effort) is an EU4Health-funded project dedicated to strengthening, standardising, and expanding mobile health services for people at increased risk of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), viral hepatitis and liver diseases.
The project brings together clinical teams, public health institutions, mobile outreach units and community organisations from Spain, Portugal and Croatia to deliver person-centred, stigma-free healthcare directly within vulnerable communities.
Running from 2025 to 2028, MOBHOPE aims to generate evidence, operational tools, and a European-standard service package for mobile hepatitis and liver health services that can be adopted across other EU Member States.
Introduction
Mobile health units are a crucial gateway to care for individuals who often face significant barriers to accessing traditional healthcare services, including homelessness, substance use, migration challenges, incarceration or social exclusion.
MOBHOPE aims to enhance these mobile outreach services by integrating innovative point-of-care diagnostic tools, structured care pathways, stigma reduction strategies and multilingual communication approaches.
Through coordinated efforts across three European countries, the project seeks to strengthen early diagnosis, linkage to care and engagement in treatment for viral hepatitis, HIV, STIs and liver-related conditions.
Objetives
The MOBHOPE project seeks to:
- Improve primary and secondary prevention of viral hepatitis and liver diseases through education, communication tools and health promotion.
- Strengthen the cascade of care by implementing rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), liver elastography and other point-of-care technologies directly in mobile units.
- Conduct operational and community-based research to understand detection rates, social determinants of health, barriers to care, and service preferences among vulnerable populations.
- Assess stigma and discrimination, using validated tools, and implement targeted interventions that promote dignity and improve healthcare engagement.
- Standardise mobile liver health services by developing an EU-wide service package adaptable to different European health systems.
Expected Impact
MOBHOPE will contribute to:
- Earlier diagnosis of hepatitis B/C, HIV, STIs and liver disorders among underserved populations.
- Improved linkage to care, with faster referral pathways and reduced loss in the care cascade.
- Reduction of health inequities, especially among socially excluded groups.
- Better understanding of community needs, through operational research and stakeholder involvement.
- Adoption of a European-standardised model for mobile liver and infectious disease services.
- Enhanced stigma reduction, promoting human dignity in all aspects of healthcare delivery.
- Stronger cross-border collaboration among mobile service providers in the EU.