Interventions promoting hepatitis B birth dose in the Rural Medical College completed one quarter. With simple measures and zero budget, the coverage was raised from 19.14% in April to 91.89% by 30th June 2014. In these three months, timely newborn vaccination has become a part of newborn care protocol. According to a WHO analysis, investment in hepatitis B vaccination could prevent an estimated 4.8 million hepatitis B-related deaths over a 10-year period in the 73 countries. The study revealed hepatitis B vaccination to be more cost-effective than polio and diphtheria.
Perinatal transmission accounts for 15% of HBV related deaths even in low-endemic areas. Diagnosing someone with hepatitis B without medicine to prevent the progression is of limited use.
In India, having intermediate endemicity (2-8%) 4% in Karnataka, over 9 million are estimated to acquire HBV infection during their life-time per every surviving cohort of about 24+ million infants per year. As per convention on the Rights of the Child, every newborn child has the inherent right to life, survival and development, the highest attainable standard of health and access to health care services for treatment and rehabilitation. Denying/Delaying Hep-B birth dose amounts to disregard towards child’s right.
“Mercurial myth” still exists strongly among the learned and have not yet started administering “Birth dose”. Most children who die within the first month of life have serious conditions that are recognized at birth or shortly afterwards; these children are less likely to receive a birth dose of HBV.
Impact of intervention in the form of PPT was shared with Deputy Director who presented the same in the State RCH Officers’ review meeting for replication in their districts. This would hopefully dispel the myth and rapidly raise Hepatitis B birth dose - blessing every newborn with vaccines to prevent untimely death at the most productive age and also subsequent three doses at 6/10 and 14 weeks.
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