UNIVERSAL IMMUNIZATION PROGRAMME : PRIME MINISTER TO LAUCH HEPATITIS
B VACCINE
The Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari
Vajpayee will launch a Pilot Project for Introduction of Hepatitis
B Vaccine under Universal Immunization Programme tomorrow. Government
of India has decided to include the Hepatitis B vaccine in the
National Immunization Programme initially on a pilot basis in
slum areas of 15 cities and in 32 districts. Government plans
to expand the Hepatitis B programme, in phases, during the Tenth
Five Year Plan Period. For the pilot phase, districts that have
demonstrated a high operational efficiency in implementing the
immunization programme have been selected. On evaluation these
districts have been found to have fully immunized at least 80
percent of the eligible infants, thereby demonstrating a capacity
to take on additional workload. Simultaneously, through other
initiatives like the Immunization Strengthening Project, inputs
are being provided to remaining districts to improve the quality
and outreach of the immunization services.
The pilot project will provide Hepatitis
B vaccination to about 2 million eligible infants. For ensuring
maximum coverage, three doses of Hepatitis B vaccine would be
administered to infants when they come for their routine immunization
for DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Whooping cough) at 6, 10 and
14 weeks of age respectively.In the pilot project for Hepatitis
B auto-disable syringes will be introduced. These syringes become
incapable of further use after single injection thereby obviating
recycling risk.
The vaccine and auto-disable syringes
for the project will be provided by the Global Alliance for Vaccines
and Immunization . In addition, Government of India had initiated
steps for training of staff in the use of auto-disable syringes
and other aspects related to the Immunization Programme with special
reference to Hepatitis B. GAVI has committed a sum of US $ 40.00
million to India over the next five years. Government of India
plans to access this resource for expanding the Hepatitis B vaccination
programme in additional areas at the conclusion of the pilot project.
Hepatitis B is a viral disease that
primarily affects the liver. It causes several types of liver
disease including cirrhosis and liver cancer. Symptoms and complications
of the disease generally manifest several decades after infection.
The virus is spread through unsafe injections or use of unsterilised
medical equipment, transfusion of infected blood and blood products,
through unprotected sex with an infected person and from an infected
pregnant mother to her child. Epidemiological studies indicate
that the risk of infection is highest during infancy and declines
with age.
A safe and effective vaccine is available
as protection against Hepatitis B. According to WHO, 152 countries
have already introduced Hepatitis B vaccine in their national
programmes. 39 more countries including India will introduce the
vaccine this year.
