Government plans to include Hepatitis-B vaccination in its immunisation programme during the 10th plan, beginning next financial year, sources in the health ministry said on Friday.
The cost of this is likely to be around Rs 100 crore as
the cost of the Hepatitis B vaccine per dose has come down
from around Rs 150 to about Rs 15, the sources said.
As a prelude to this, a two-year pilot project at a cost
of rs 27 crore is likely to begin soon all over India in 32
districts and slums in 15 metropolitan cities, the sources
said, adding the project would be funded by Global
Alliance for vaccine immunisation.
The vaccine would be administered along with DPT
(diptheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccinaiton) at 10th 12th
and 16th week after birth, the sources said.
Hepatitis b vaccination is already a part of national
programme in countries like Indonesia, Sri lanka, Bhutan and
Maldives while Pakistan is also contemplating its inclusion in
the national programme, the sources said.
Every year Hepapitis B infection, which is reported to be
30 times more infectious than HIV, accounts for 80 per cent of
liver cancers. The infection causes death of about two
lakh people annually.
Bureau Report
