WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 1984
12
BATTLE AGAINST HEPATITIS B OUTLINED
***
A SPECIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS SET UP EARLY LAST YEAR TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON AN OVERALL STRATEGY TO IMMUNTSE CERTAIN HIGH RISK GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY AGAINST HEPATITIS B.
THE COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF EXPERTS FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.
IN REPLY TO A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS RAISED BY DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP ON THE USE OF VACCINE IN THE PREVENTION OF HEPATITIS B, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT TWO HIGH-RISK PRIORITY GROUPS HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMITTEE FOR A PILOT VACCINATION PROGRAMME.
THE FIRST GROUP CONSISTS OF BABIES BORN TO MOTHERS WHO ARE CARRIERS OF THE DISEASE.
THESE BABIES ARE AT HIGH RISK OF BEING CHRONIC CARRIERS WHO ARE THE PRIME SOURCE OF INFECTION TO THE REST OF THE POPULATION LATER ON IN CHILDHOOD AND IN ADULT LIFE.
THE SECOND GROUP ARE HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHO ARE IN FREQUENT CONTACTS WITH BLOOD AND BLOOD PRODUCTS AND TISSUE FLUIDS IN THE COURSE OF THEIR WORK.
THE PILOT VACCINATION PROJECT WAS STARTED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN APRIL 1983 TO GATHER LOCAL EXPERIENCE IN THE USE OF VACCINE AND TO DEVISE A COST-EFFECTIVE SCHEDULE.
DR THONG EXPLAINED THAT THE PROJECT WAS DESIGNED: TO SCREEN ABOUT 10 000 PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE KOWLOON HEALTH REGION AND TO
AND VACCINATE BABIES BORN TO CARRIER MOTHERS AMONG THIS GROUP ALSO TO OFFER VACCINATION TO ALL HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND CLINICS WHO ARE AT RISK.
HE SAID THAT THE RESULTS OF THE PROGRAMME WERE EXPECTED TO
BE READY FOR EVALUATION BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
DR THONG ALSO POINTED OUT THAT A UNIVERSAL VACCINATION PROGRAMME AGAINST HEPATITIS B FOR THE WHOLE POPULATION WOULD INVOLVE ASTRONOMICAL SUMS WHICH WOULD RENDER THE WHOLE CONCEPT IMPRACTICABLE.
+THUS, THE PREFERRED AND REALISTIC STRATEGY FOR VACCINATION AS ADVOCATED BY WHO (WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION) IS TO ENSURE SELECTIVE IMMUNISATION FOR RISK GROUPS, HE SAID.
DR THONG ENVISAGED THAT IN THE LONGER TERM, THE VACCINATION PROGRAMME WOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL NEWLY BORN CHILDREN OF CARRIER MOTHERS IN THE GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND ALSO TO SIMILAR HIGH RISK GROUPS IN THE SUBVENTED HOSPITALS.
REGARDING THE