WHO representative to India, Henk Bekedam, described “the administration of Hepatitis B dose within 24 hours of birth as a key challenge.”
Hepatitis B is a contagious liver disease. If babies get infected, the virus usually remains in the body for a lifetime.
Bekedam said non-availability of Hepatitis B vaccine at all delivery points, lack of awareness amongst healthcare workers and private sector adopting a different policy for the birth dose vaccination are some of the challenges in India.
“There are administrative and logistic challenges in the uptake of Hepatitis B birth dose. It is proposed that challenges identified be addressed systematically to increase coverage of Hepatitis B vaccine birth dose,” Bekedam told PTI.
According to the WHO official, “The convergence of efforts between RMNCH+A (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health) and the immunisation programme is necessary to improve birth dose coverage. India should set a national target of 90 per cent birth dose coverage by 2020.”
Bekedam, however, described India reaching 86 per cent coverage of Hepatitis B third dose in 2015 as a “commendable” performance.
“In 2015, India reached 86 per cent coverage of Hepatitis B third dose which is commendable,” he said.
The WHO is committed to supporting the Centre in “designing a comprehensive action plan for prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis with clear targets towards elimination as a public health issue”, Bekedam elaborated while talking about how agency was assisting the India tackling the disease. .
PTI